53. Viscountess ASTORasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the length and breadth of the buffer zone created between Northern and Southern Nigeria to check the smuggling of liquor into Northern Protected Territories?
§ Mr. AMERYI presume that the Noble Lady refers to the country between the northern frontier of the Southern Provinces and the prohibited zone into which liquor may not be transported except with a permit. The southern boundary of the latter zone is a line drawn from Kaduna due west, and south-east through Ibi to the frontier of the Cameroons. Its distance from the northern frontier of the Southern Provinces varies considerably. It is not correct to refer to this space as a buffer zone created to check smuggling.
54. Viscountess ASTORasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of stations and the number of Europeans and Africans, respectively, employed in the prevention of smuggling of liquor between Northern and Southern Nigeria?
§ Mr. AMERYThe duty of preventing the introduction of liquor into the prohibited areas in Nigeria falls upon the police and the railway officials, and there are no officers specially detailed for this duty. I have no reason to suppose that any appreciable smuggling exists.
Viscountess ASTORIs it not the fact that only passengers by rail have their luggage examined and that it is perfectly possible for natives to carry liquor in bags across the frontier, and ought they not to be watched?
§ Mr. AMERYI have no doubt that if there is any evidence of appreciable smuggling measures will be taken to cheek it.