§ 31. Mr. LUNNasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he can give any information on the outbreak of malaria in Bechuanaland; whether he is aware that at Ghanzi there have been 250 deaths following a period of starvation; and what measures His Majesty's Government is taking?
The SECRETARY of STATE for DOMINION AFFAIRS (Mr. J. H. Thomas)I regret to say that there has been an outbreak of malaria in certain districts of the Bechuanaland Protectorate. I have not yet received any detailed reports from the High Commissioner for South Africa as to mortality, but I have no doubt that these will be forthcoming as soon as the information is available. Prompt measures have been taken by the local administration to deal with the outbreak by sending medical officers and the necessary supplies of quinine to districts affected. I may add that provision was made last year, and has again been made this year, for the relief of distress unfortunately occasioned in the Protectorate by the late disastrous drought in South Africa.