HC Deb 27 June 1935 vol 303 cc1271-2
62. Major MILNER

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has received any report on the issuing of an order to the missionary in charge at Fort Hall that coffee trees planted by the Kikuyu shall be uprooted?

Mr. M. MacDONALD

No, Sir. My predecessor asked the Acting Governor for information on this matter, but there has not been time for a reply to be received. I will communicate with the hon. and gallant Member when I do receive it.

64. Major MILNER

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has received any report on the question of the removal of Kikuyu natives from Tigoni to another area?

Mr. MacDONALD

I have received a copy of a memorial from the natives of the Tigoni area, the original of which has I understand been sent to the Acting Governor for transmission to me in the usual way. There has not yet been time for him to send this on to me with his report and I shall await it.

Major MILNER

Will the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to communicate with me when he receives it?

Mr. MacDONALD

Yes, Sir.

65. Mr. CLEARY

(for Mr. BANFIELD) asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps have been taken to carry out the recommendations, in the report on closer union in East Africa, that the administration of all native affairs in Kenya Colony should be directly under a chief native commissioner, who should be given a position of enhanced authority and in whose hands part of the general revenue should be placed, and that as large a measure of responsibility and self-government as possible should be granted to native communities, sums being allocated to the native councils for specified purposes, such as the payment of the salaries of its local officers, the maintenance and construction of roads, education, etc.?

Mr. MacDONALD

The chief native commissioner, who is responsible for all native administration in Kenya, has recently been given a position of enhanced authority, as described in some detail in my predecessor's despatch, published in Command Paper No. 4141, to which I would refer the hon. Member. Self-government in the native communities is being steadily developed. With regard to finance, certain changes on lines suggested in Lord Moyne's report (Cmd. 4093) are Contemplated, but the present financial position of the colony has, so far, prevented these from being put into effect.