§ 66. Captain ORMSBY-GOREasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether Lord Buxton has recently made a public statement in South Africa regarding the Native Administration in Rhodesia under the Chartered Company; and, if so, to what effect?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Lieut.-Colonel Amery)Yes, Sir, speaking at Salisbury on the 26th August, Lord Buxton stated: 1496
Three things have struck me since I have had to do with Rhodesia as High Commissioner and these have been emphasised on every occasion that I have had to deal with Rhodesia.The third thing with which I have been struck, and I hope you will like me to say so, is the sympathetic administrative treatment of the natives and the attitude of the Europeans in Rhodesia in regard to the natives…I do not want on the present occasion to say more than that on the point. I may have an opportunity of referring to it again at greater length elsewhere as High Commissioner, and therefore in some sense responsible for the interest and welfare of the natives in Rhodesia. I have taken, naturally and hereditarily, a great interest in the question, and this I can say, and I desire to say it emphatically and seriously, that what I have seen and have learned the administrative treatment and the attitude of mind of the Europeans in Rhodesia with regard to the natives compares favourably with any other community in which Europeans have control of the natives.
§ Earl WINTERTONIn view of the calumnies against the people in Rhodesia by certain newspapers and persons in this country, will the hon. Gentleman see that Lord Buxton's speech has wide circulation?
§ Lieut.-Colonel AMERYI hope the very fact of it being read out in this House will give it a wide circulation.
§ Earl WINTERTONWill the hon. Gentleman also have it circulated amongst those hon. and gallant Members of the House who have been asking questions suggesting cruelty to the natives?