HC Deb 20 June 1934 vol 291 cc379-80
7. Mr. DAVID GRENFELL

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in order to obtain the views of the African population thereby affected, he will take steps to secure the translation into Swahili of the main points in the report of the Morris Carter Land Commission, and the submission to the different tribes of those parts of the report with which they are specially concerned?

Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER

No, Sir. Any summary of so intricate a report could hardly fail to be misleading; and it is out of the question to translate the whole document into Swahili, a language, moreover, which is by no means universally understood by the native tribes. I am relying with confidence on the district officers of Kenya to explain the findings and recommendations of the report and the decisions of Government to the communities under their charge.

Mr. GRENFELL

Is it not the case that a very large number of the natives concerned do not understand English at all and would it not be convenient to have the full report or at any rate the essential points of the report translated into Swahili?

Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER

I do not think you could satisfactorily summarise the report, and it would be perfectly impossible to translate a document of this character, running to 700 closely-printed pages, into Swahili.

Mr. GRENFELL

Is there not a great feeling in Kenya that as the natives are

Mr. HUDSON

As the reply includes a table of figures, I will, if I may, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the reply:

the people most intimately concerned with the recommendations in the report they should be made acquainted with it?

Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER

I entirely agree that it is very important that the natives should know, but anybody who has had experience of administration will agree that much the best way of allowing the natives to know is for those who are responsible for the administration to meet the natives and explain and discuss with them these various matters, exactly in the way that this Commission themselves took their evidence.

Mr. GRENFELL

But is it not the case that very large numbers of the natives do know Swahili and do not know English?

Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER

Yes, I know it is, but the district officers in discussing all these points with the natives would discuss them in Swahili or in some other language understood by the natives. I am perfectly certain that you could not translate the whole of this vast document into Swahili.