HC Deb 05 May 1937 vol 323 cc1146-7
35. Mr. Creech Jones

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the small experimental recruitment among Nyasaland natives, which he has authorised for work on the Rand in South Africa, provides for proper transport, rest, and health conditions to and from the natives' homes and places of employment; whether facilities will be provided for family settlement in South Africa; and what are the terms of the licence and to whom is it issued?

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Family settlement is not contemplated. A licence for the experimental recruitment was issued to the London and Blantyre Supply Company under section 25 of the Nyasaland Employment of Natives Ordinance. I hope to publish shortly a report on the experiment by a senior Nyasaland official who has recently visited the Rand.

Mr. Creech Jones

In view of the conditions of employment, the danger to health involved and the absence of family life, will the Minister give this matter his closest supervision?

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

The hon. Member knows that all recruitment for work in the gold mines on the Rand is non-family and purely temporary. Of course, we know that the health conditions are important, and in so far as I have information to date, the health conditions of those now in employment in the Rand mines are satisfactory.

Mr. Paling

Has the Union Government made any application to be allowed to recruit labour in these areas; and is it not a fact that when labour has been recruited from these tropical areas previously the death rate has been very high; and, further, if the natives are not allowed to take their families with them, are they going to live under the compound system which is so notorious?

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

As the hon. Member knows, great changes have been made in the compounds on the Rand in recent years. Certainly if they go to work in the Johannesburg area they will have to live in compounds. It is true that the Government of the Union of South Africa have hitherto not desired to recruit labour north of a certain latitude, but they now require to do so. This is an experiment which we have to watch in order to ascertain whether it does in any way harm the natives or not.