§ 33. Major MILNERasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give particulars of the assistance granted to white settlers in Kenya since 1931, whether in the form of subsidies remission of taxation, licence duties, or railway rates; what sums have been advanced through the land bank; how much has been refunded, whether in interest or capital repayment; what sums are still owing to the Government by the settlers; and what number and proportion of the settlers have benefited by these measures?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI regret that I am not in a position to furnish full and accurate information on all the points desired by the hon. and gallant Member, but I am asking the Governor to furnish me with a full statement. With the hon. Member's permission I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement of such figures as are in my possession.
§ Following is the statement:
§ Under the Agricultural Advances Scheme sanctioned in 1930 sums have been advanced from surplus balances to farmers which are repayable with interest. The amount outstanding at the end of 1935 was £106,595. A land bank has been established with an authorised capital of £500,000 and steps are now being taken to increase that capital to £750,000 with a possible extension to £1,000,000. The total amount of advances made by the bank up to date has been £518,425, some of the original advances having been repaid with interest and re-lent. A subsidy to enable an economic price to be paid for maize has been approved for the current year amounting to £12,500. Railway rates on certain commodities have been reduced, but the reductions cover a variety of articles and are designed to benefit the trade of Kenya generally, native as well as European, and not any one section. Loans, totalling £116,090 have been made to the maize, wheat and barley industries. Provision is made for repayment by a levy on exported maize should prices hereafter permit.