§ 4. Mr. John Dugdaleasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, the membership of the Northern Rhodesian Legislative Council; and how many of its members represent the Native African population?
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Harold Macmillan)The Legislative Council is at present composed as follows: The Governor (President); five ex-officio Members (including the Secretary for Native Affairs); four nominated official Members; eight elected Members; one nominated unofficial Member to represent the interests of the native African community.
§ Mr. DugdaleIs it not a fact that there is only one representative of the native community among that number?
§ Mr. MacmillanThere is the Secretary for Native Affairs. There is, by practice, nearly always a senior Provincial Commissioner, and there is, as I say, Lieut.-Colonel Gore-Browne, who is the unofficial member representing the native African community. In an assembly of this kind it seems to me that it is not so much a question of the number of representatives as of their quality, and their quality is very high.
§ Mr. SorensenAre any natives in a sufficiently developed stage to be appointed personally to this Council?
§ Mr. MacmillanI was asked what the present situation is, and I have given it.
Mr. Creech JonesMay I ask for an answer to my question as to whether the situation is now under consideration?
§ Mr. MacmillanI like to avoid the words "under consideration," because they are apt to be somewhat meaningless. If the hon. Member will put down a specific Question, I will do my best to answer it quite accurately.
§ Mr. Speaker rose—