§ 44. Mr. W. BAKERasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the acting Colonial Secretary in Kenya Colony, at the October Session of the Legislative Assembly, stated that administrative officers in Kenya had been definitely instructed to do their utmost to promote the flow of labour from the reserves; and whether this is in accordance with the policy of His Majesty's Government.
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI have seen a Press report of the statement referred to, which was quoted in the recent Debate on the Palestine and East Africa Loans (Guarantee) Bill, but my right hon. Friend does not interpret it in a sense contrary to the assurances then given by him in recent Debates during the passage of the Bill.
§ Brigadier-General Sir HENRY CROFTIs it not a fact that there are no Employment Exchanges in the reserves in East Africa, that there is a very large number of natives doing no work, that coffee crops are rotting, and that, therefore, it is desirable to give the natives encouragement to earn a wage where possible?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREIt is true that there are no Employment Exchanges, and that the machinery for recruiting labour in these territories, except for purely Government services, is entirely in the hands of private recruiting agents, but the whole matter is under investigation, and the question of issuing definite orders to District Commissioners' staffs in the East African Protectorate in regard to this matter is under consideration.
§ Sir R. HAMILTONCan copies of these instructions be obtained and placed in the Library?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThe only one that has been approved so far is the instruction in regard to the duties of District Commissioners in connection with labour for Tanganyika Territory, and I can let anybody have a copy of that, but the Nyasaland, Kenya, and other drafts 2763 are still under review, and when all are complete I will place copies in the Library.