§ 37. Mr. ERNEST BROWNasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the total acreage of land alienated in freehold title to the East African Lands Development Company; whether the ownership of this land was purchased direct from the Kenya Government; and, if so, at what total price, and to what account, were the proceeds of the sale credited?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThe original agreement with the company made in 1904 dealt with 500 square miles which were not alienated in freehold but leased by the Commissioner of the East Africa Protectorate for 25 years with the right to the company, upon the completion of a survey and the establishment and stocking of five farms of not less than 5,000 acres each, to purchase the surface rights of the whole area for £50,000. A supplementary agreement made in 1915 provided for the sale by the Government at the request of the syndicate of the fee simple of any part of the land not being less than 100 acres in extent comprised in six blocks amounting in all to 270,000 acres. Of the proceeds of the sale 3s. 1½d. per acre was to be paid to the Government, but as the sales have taken place in Kenya I have no information of the actual area sold nor of the total price received. The proceeds are credited to the revenue of the Colony of Kenya.
§ Mr. BROWNHas the right hon. Gentleman's attention been called to the statement of the noble chairman of this company as to the value of this land now?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI did read, I confess casually, a report of this company's proceedings, but my attention was not specifically called to that particular point.