HC Deb 08 September 1909 vol 10 cc1288-90
Mr. WATT

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the court at Chinteche, Bandawe, which sent Elliott Kamwana, a native of Nyassaland, to prison for six weeks without any charge being made or witnesses called, took any action to suppress or withdraw from circulation the six volumes written by Kamwana in which the views for which he was imprisoned are fully stated; and, if so, will he say what was the nature of that action?

The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Colonel Seely)

No, Sir, I have no information as to any volumes written by Kamwana, and I would point out to my hon. Friend that he must not asume that I accept the terms of his question as conveying an accurate statement of the case. I am not aware that the man was sent to prison by the court; he was legally detained under the Ordinance pending the Governor's decision.

Mr. WATT

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the action was initiated by the missionaries?

Colonel SEELY

I do not know, Sir; but I believe that the missionaries do not regard this particular individual with favour.

Mr. KEIR HARDIE

asked whether Elliott Kamwana, a native missionary working in Nyassaland under the auspices of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, was detained as a prisoner at Chinteche from 18th March till 4th May and then deported to Cape Town, at his own expense, by the Governor, Sir A. Sharpe; whether all this was done without any charge having been formulated against Kamwana or any form of trial having taken place; and under what authority the collectors and Governor acted in the matter?

Colonel SEELY

With regard to the first part of my hon. Friend's question, I would refer him to the answer to the question put by my hon. Friend the Member for the College Division of Glasgow. With regard to the latter part of the question, the Governor and Resident were acting under the authority of "The Political Removal and Detention of Natives Ordinance, 1909."

Mr. KEIR HARDIE

asked what was the nature of the complaints lodged against Elliott Kamwana, a native missionary, who has been deported from Nyassaland, to which he belonged; by whom were they lodged; and by what evidence were they backed?

Colonel SEELY

The Governor caused careful enquiries to be made into the doings of Kamwana, and from sworn evidence given by Europeans and natives ascertained that his teachings were as follows:—That in October, 1914, the second Advent will take place, that Christ will then abolish all the present forms of government, that there will be no more taxation; that all the white population will disappear from Nyasaland, and that the country will be placed entirely in the hands of the natives, who will govern themselves. The head of both the Scotch Mission and of the Dutch Reformed Church Mission have expressed to the Governor their very strong feeling as to the necessity for preventing the entrance into Nyasaland of such doctrines.

Mr. KEIR HARDIE

May I ask the hon. and gallant Gentleman whether he has seen a statement in which Kamwana denies holding the views which are attributed to him?

Colonel SEELY

My information is that Kamwana was asked by the Governor if these were his views, and he replied that they were. The Governor said that he could either stop preaching these doctrines for the reasons which I gave the other day, or he could go away. He preferred to go away.

Mr. WATT

Can the hon. and gallant Gentleman say whether Kamwana had a great number of followers who adopted his views?

Colonel SEELY

Yes, parts of his doctrines were exceedingly popular, and especially that part in regard to there being no more taxation.