§ 6. Mr. Fenner Brockwayasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the protest signed on behalf of the Agikuyu Mbaris, a copy of which has been sent to him, against the proposal to compensate them for land lost owing to the building of roads and railways by settling them on forest lands which the Mbaris claim is already their traditional property, he will urge upon the Kenya Government that compensation satisfactory to the Mbaris should be given.
§ Mr. HopkinsonI have asked the Governor of Kenya for a report on this matter and will write to the hon. Member when I receive it.
§ Mr. BrockwayIn view of the intense feeling in Kenya about land matters, will the right hon. Gentleman seek to meet the demands which have been made in this case? They form not an objection to building but a request that compensation should be given for land lost on the side of the new roadway?
§ Mr. HopkinsonThe only information that we have on the subject is that received from the hon. Member and it is not enough to enable my right hon. Friend to say whether he is prepared to intervene. As I have said, we have asked the Governor for a report.
§ Mr. StokesWould not all the difficulty be overcome if a thorough—going method of taxation of land values was introduced?