§ 44. Mr. JAMES HUDSONasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has received any information regarding the public auction at Nairobi, on 31st March next, of 54 farms of Crown land, comprising a total of over 158,000 acres in the Kenya highlands, on leases of 999 years; and whether His Majesty's Government will order the suspension of this sale until a decision, as recommended by the Report of the Commission on Closer Union in Central and Eastern Africa, has been taken on the principles which should govern such sales to non- 1311 natives, and also the questions governing the putting into force of the Native Land Trust Ordinance have been settled?
§ Dr. SHIELSMy Noble Friend has telegraphed to the Governor of Kenya for information regarding the auction of farms advertised for the 31st March, but he has not yet had a reply. In the circumstances I am not yet in a position to answer my hon. Friend's inquiry, and I would ask him to repeat the question a week hence.