14. Mr. Creech Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what form of inquiry will be made into the shooting of African strikers in an industrial dispute in the copper belt of Northern Rhodesia; and whether Parliament will receive the report of such inquiry in due course?
§ 20. Mr. Edmund Harveyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the terms of reference of the Commission of Inquiry into the industrial dispute at the copper mines in Northern Rhodesia, and the loss of life occasioned in connection with it; and also the membership of the commission?
Mr. M. MacDonaldI am still in communication with the Governor of Northern Rhodesia about the composition and terms of reference of the Commission of Inquiry which is to be set up, but I expect to be able to make an announcement on these matters in the course of the next few days. With regard to the second part of the Question by the hon. Member for the English Universities (Mr. Harvey), I 948 would refer him to the answer which I gave to a number of Questions last week, to which there is nothing to add.
Mr. Creech JonesIn considering the terms of reference, will the right hon. Gentleman also be including the disputes with the white employés in the mines?
Mr. MacDonaldIt would be impossible to make a public statement until the terms of reference are settled, but I can assure the hon. Gentleman that that matter is not being lost sight of.
§ Mr. HarveyWill the right hon. Gentleman take care that the terms of reference are wide enough to include the economic grounds of the disputes?
§ 17. Mr. Palingasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the total wages of the native copper-mine workers in Northern Rhodesia for the last available 12 months?
Mr. MacDonaldAs the answer contains a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the Official Report.
Mr. DuncanWill the right hon. Gentleman publish with that statement the cost of living in those parts?
Mr. MacDonaldIt would be difficult to give figures, but the whole question will undoubtedly be examined by the Commission of Inquiry, and perhaps my hon. Friend will leave that particular aspect of affairs for the time being.
§ Following is the answer:
§ The wages paid to the African employés at the four copper mines in Northern Rhodesia during the last 12 months amounted to £357,056. The wages paid at the individual mines were as follow: Mufulira, £89,796; Roan Antelope, £120,435; N'Changa, £34,468; Nkana, £112,357. These figures includes overtime and bonuses, but do not take into account the cost of food with which the workers 949 are supplied free of charge. The cost of such food at Nkana during the last 12 months was £72,633 and at the other mines was probably in similar proportion to the wages bill.
§ 18 and 19. Mr. Palingasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether, in view of the fact that the profits of three copper mine companies in Northern Rhodesia for the last six months, for which figures are available, are estimated to be £2,674,000, he is satisfied that the recent increase of 2s. 6d. per month on the wages of native workers represented an adequate effort on behalf of the companies to meet the demands of their low-paid workers;
(2) in view of the fact that the Pim Commission reported in 1938 that at the copper mines in Northern Rhodesia there were serious defects arising mainly from the absence of any definite policy towards industrial labour, to what extent the recent labour troubles in which 14 were killed and 70 injured were due to the fact that little or nothing has been done to improve conditions since the report was issued?
Mr. MacDonaldThese are matters which will no doubt be considered by the Commission of Inquiry, and I cannot anticipate any observations which they may have to make. I cannot, however, accept the implication in the second Question by the hon. Member that little or nothing has been done to improve conditions on the Copperbelt since 1938. Considerable progress has been made as the result of the appointment of welfare officers and welfare sisters, the building of schools and the provision of additional amenities for the mine workers and their families.
§ Mr. PalingHas anything been done in the direction indicated in the Question with reference to industrial labour legislation, and particularly in the direction of increased wages? In view of the enormous profits which have been made by these companies, why is it that bloodshed has to occur before these people can make any progress in their lowly-paid positions?
Mr. MacDonaldI was not aware that the hon. Member intended to refer specifically to labour legislation. I thought the Question referred to the conditions, 950 and that is the Question I tried to answer. Perhaps the hon. Member will put down his Question specifically with regard to labour legislation, and I shall be able to answer it on another occasion.
§ Mr. PalingSurely my Question was directed to the policy with regard to industrial labour, which was the matter referred to by the Pim Commission?
Mr. MacDonaldIf I misunderstood the Question, I am very sorry. If the hon. Gentleman will put it down specifically, I will give him an answer.
§ Mr. StephenDuring the period of inquiry will the right hon. Gentleman make representations to the companies to the effect that there should be an increase in wages more than this 2s. 6d. a month?