§ Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Secretary of State for the Colonies is aware that the South African Chartered Company, which has an interest in every mine in Rhodesia, has granted a body called the Rhodesia Native Labour Bureau, consisting almost exclusively of mining representatives, a monopoly to recruit all labour to Rhodesian territories despite the protests of the farmers, small mine-owners, and tributors, who are making every effort to compel the Chartered Company to abrogate this concession made to one section to the detriment of the community at large not interested in mining; whether it has been brought to the know- 1800 ledge of the Colonial Office that all labourers from Central Africa are met by native agents of the South African Chartered Company at Feiru, Northwestern Rhodesia, and are practically forced to sign on for the work in the mines, and that the whole labour supply is now absolutely controlled by the bureau, whose agents receive a commission on every native thus secured for the work of the mines, while natives who refuse to sign on are not permitted to enter South Rhodesia; and whether any steps will be taken by the Colonial Office to put an end to a system established by the Chartered Company in its own interest and detrimental alike to the natives, who are thereby reduced to serfdom, and to the welfare of the community at large in Rhodesia?
§ Colonel SEELYThe Native Labour Bureau has been entrusted with the distribution of labour for the mines from north of the Zambesi on account of the heavy mortality among labourers finding their own way down. I may refer my hon. Friend to a reply which I gave him on this subject on 23rd November last. The distribution of labourers for farms is carried out by the Rhodesia Agricultural Union, and both these agencies are held directly responsible by the Administration, which works in concert with the Nyasaland Government. The Secretary of State recently commented on the absence of a clause in the conditions of service giving the Nyasa native a liberty of choosing his employer, and Sir William Milton, the Administrator, reported as follows: "It is not always possible to give the native recruits the choice of employers, but the practice in all cases is to ascertain from them whether they wish to work for a particular employer, and if so, and the employer selected is in want of labourers, to send them to him. The distributing agency (Labour Bureau or Agricultural Union) also makes every effort to send friends together, and in this and other respects to meet the wishes of the natives and ensure their being contented." The Secretary of State is ready to make enquiry into any specific cases of complaint, but, as at present advised, he sees no reason for pressing for the termination of the system.
§ Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLIf I give him a copy of my information I am sure he will consider it.
§ Colonel SEELYI will be very glad to consider it.