§ 63. Mr. WALTER BAKERasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his assurance that the Secretary of State for the Colonies will continue to attach the greatest importance to the Buganda Agreement can be supplemented by an assurance that the native people of the other provinces of the Uganda Protectorate, who are likely to provide the bulk of the labour required as a result of any development following amalgamation, will not be treated less favourably than the inhabitants of the province of Buganda?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThe assumption that any closer union in East Africa will impose labour obligations on any natives is entirely unjustified. His Majesty's Government have already made clear, in the last paragraph of the White Paper on Future Policy in Eastern Africa (Cmd. 2904), their adherence to the principles enunciated in 1923 as regards the Imperial duty of safeguarding the interests and progress of the native population of the East African territories generally until such time as they can take part more fully in their own government and in the common affairs of all races inhabiting the territories. In addition, the hon. Member may rest assured that, as regards those parts of Uganda where formal agreements exist with the native rulers, those agreements, no less than the Buganda Agreement, will continue to be respected by His Majesty's Government.