6. Mr. CREECH JONESasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in view of the opposition he expressed in his despatch to the Governor of Nyasaland to the recruitment of contract labour as a general policy and in view, moreover, of the doubts he expressed therein as to the just claims of a Government to receive a tax from its nationals working abroad, whether he will disallow the provisional agreement on migrant native labour between the Governments of Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland, which adopts the principles referred to?
Lieut.-Colonel Sir A. LAMBERT WARD (Comptroller of the Household)I have been asked to reply. The Agreement to which the hon. Member refers does not adopt the principle of recruitment of contract labour as will be clearly seen from clause 14 thereof. I am awaiting public comments on the Agreement before definitely sanctioning it, but my right hon. Friend does not regard the points mentioned by the hon. Member as necessarily precluding that sanction.