§ MR. MITCHELL-THOMSON (Lanarkshire, N.W.)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to make application on behalf of other petitioning groups of mines to the Portuguese authorities for licences to recruit natives in Portuguese East Africa on the same conditions as have been arranged for the Robinson group of mines.
§ MR. CHURCHILLThe Secretary of State learns that the facilities for separate recruiting given to the Robinson group of mines have not up to the present been made fully effective by the Portuguese authorities. Pending the result of the inquiry which is about to take place His Majesty's Government do not propose to take any steps to alter the status quo as regards recruiting in Portuguese East Africa.