§ 21. Mr. MORGAN JONESasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the Kamba reserve (Kenya) was first delimited; and at what date the Akamba 424 Natives were subsequently removed by the East African Protectorate Government from the Mua hills and other lands near Machakos and Ulu?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe boundaries of the Machakos Reserve in the Ukarnba Province were described in a Government Proclamation, dated the 18th June, 1906. In 1908 certain Wakamba were removed from a portion of this area; the officer in charge of the Province at the time reported that
they acknowledged that the land was not originally owned by the tribe…They one and all definitely agreed to the recommendation that they should move; the whole question was freely discussed. No pressure or menaces were employed and every person present was encouraged to have his way.
§ 22. Mr. JONESasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the land office number and size of Captain F. O'B. Wilson's farm in Kenya, which forms part of an estate alienated to a Captain Slatter about the year 1908 subsequent to the eviction of Akamba Natives; what was the size of the estate alienated to Captain Slatter; and whether any of the Akamba Natives, living under a headman named Mohindu, who were resident on this land have remained as squatters on the land after the re-sale of a portion of it to Captain F. O'B. Wilson?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe information in my possession does not enable me to deal with all the points in the hon. Member's question. He will be interested to know, however, that in 1908, the year in which Captain Slatter's land was transferred to Captain Wilson, there were 57 native families living on it under agreement with Captain Slatter. In 1910 the agreement was renewed by Captain Wilson, and the number of families was increased to 66. On Captain Wilson's present estate, which includes areas other than that derived from Captain Slatter there are, at the present day, 488 adult male natives with their women and children.
§ 23. Mr. JONESasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the form of the inquiry- held in 1929 into the delimitation of certain lands in Kenya; whether the inquiry was held in public or in private: by whom it was conducted; at what place and on what date; and whether public notice of the inquiry was given beforehand?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERIf I am right in assuming that the hon. Member is referring to the demarcation of the Machakos Reserve in 1929, no formal inquiry was held as the boundary was not in dispute. As I have already stated the boundary was first described in 1906, and in the area in which Captain Wilson's land is situated has remained approximately unchanged; and I am informed that during the interval of 25 years no objection has been raised by the Wakamba to this boundary nor has any claim to the land occupied by Captain Wilson ever been advanced by them.