§ 18. Lord APSLEYasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the statement by the Governor of Uganda complaining 345 that junior administrative officers of the Civil Service marry soon after their arrival, with the result that their work is prejudiced; and whether the Colonial Office is exercising any control over the matrimonial arrangements of the Civil Service in general?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI understand that my Noble Friend refers to a speech in which the Governor is reported to have deprecated the early marriage of junior administrative officers on the ground that the presence of a wife may be a handicap at a time when it is specially necessary for the officer to travel freely in his district and acquaint himself with native languages and customs. There are no restrictions on the marriage of Colonial officials in general; and I should certainly not wish to discourage officers from marrying and having their wives with them in the Colonies so far as practical considerations allow.
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI should like notice of that question.
§ 20. Lord APSLEYasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the fact that, in addition to cutting the salaries of the Civil Service in Kenya, the Government has suspended leave; whether this policy is being adopted in other Colonies; and whether the civil servants affected will have their suspended leave restored when economic conditions have improved?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe arrangement in Kenya to which my Noble Friend refers was made with my sanction as a measure of economy. No similar scheme has been adopted in any other Colony. I think it would be premature to consider the point raised in the last part of the question.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIs my right hon. Friend not aware that there is a great number of producers, planters, and others in this particular Colony who are having a far thinner time than the civil servants, and that if he could cut down the number of civil servants it would give them a chance to be of service to the Colony?