HC Deb 23 July 1952 vol 504 c509
13 and 18. Mrs. White

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) what arrangements have been made for the delegates, nominated by the Nyasaland Protectorate Council to meet him in London last April, to report back to the Council;

(2) if he will make a statement on the refusal of the Blantyre District Chief's Council to consider the White Paper proposals for federation until the delegates sent to London had reported back to the Nyasaland Protectorate Council.

Mr. Lyttelton

The Protectorate Council is due to meet in August and arrangements have been made for the delegates to address it at the beginning of the session.

The Blantyre District Council of Chiefs, after meeting on 18th and 19th June, declined to discuss the White Paper until the four delegates had reported to the full Protectorate Council. They therefore asked that a meeting of the Protectorate Council be convened as soon as possible, but as theirs was the only request of this nature it was not held to justify the inconvenience of calling a special session.

Mrs. White

Would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that there is a very long interval between the time when these delegates saw him in London, in April, and August when this representative body is to be called? Surely arrangements could have been made in these rather exceptional circumstances for the Protectorate Council to have met sooner?

Mr. Lyttelton

I cannot persuade the delegates to make a statement. I agree with the hon. Lady. I think that the delay is regrettable.