§ SIR GEORGE SCOTT ROBERTSONI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware of the feeling expressed by the non-official community of British East 1480 Africa at the suggestion of the possibility that forced black labour was desired by them; and has he any official information substantiating the statement made in the presence of the governor of the Colony at the Nairobi labour meeting by a Mr. Swift, of Foot Hall, to the effect that Mr. Swift's need of labour had been communicated to the chiefs by the Provincial Commissioner, and that Mr. Swift was subsequently able to secure labour but that it was practically forced, and at first distasteful to the labourers concerned.
§ COLONEL SEELYThe Secretary of State has received through the Governor of the East Africa Protectorate a telegram from the Colonists' Association stating that they contradict the view said to be held in England that Lord Delamere and Mr. Baillie advocate forced labour and record their emphatic denial of such a suggestion. Mr. Swift's statement is too long to quote in full, but will be found printed at page 11 of the volume of correspondence relating to affairs in the East Africa Protectorate which has just been presented to Parliament.
§ SIR GEORGE SCOTT ROBERTSONI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can say whether natives who came looking for voluntary work were commandeered by the Government Labour Board of British East Africa to work on the roads; whether Government officials sent armed policemen at night into villages in order to seize and force natives to carry loads, because those natives had declined to give their labour voluntarily; and whether the Government of the Colony intends to force a large number of the Kisii, the majority of whom are declared to be innocent of any crime, to labour in building roads in return for the handing back to them of part of their recently captured cattle.
§ COLONEL SEELYThe Secretary of State has no information regarding the matters referred to in the first two portions of my hon. friend's Question, but is calling for a report from the Governor. With regard to the last part of my hon. friend's Question, he is aware from the answer which was given to him in the House on 20th February last of the expedition which, in consequence of 1481 several acts of murder and outrage, it was necessary to take against the Kisii tribe. During the operations a considerable number of cattle were captured, of which about one-fourth were sold and the proceeds employed partly to meet the cost of the expedition and partly to meet claims on account of cattle stolen by the Kisii from the Kavirondo. It was decided to restore the remainder of the cattle gradually as the pacification of the country proceeded. To require labour for road-making was considered by the Government of the Protectorate to be the most humane form of punishment which could be inflicted on the tribe, while the development of the country was also thereby promoted.
§ Mr. ASHLEYMay I ask if the Government have yet come to any conclusion on this important matter?
§ COLONEL SEELYI am not yet in a position to make any statement. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will put a Question down before the Colonial Vote is taken.