HC Deb 08 December 1954 vol 535 cc947-8
44. Mr. Manuel

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make the grant to the Macmillan Memorial Library in Nairobi conditional upon the use of the library being open to Africans and Asians as well as Europeans.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

No, Sir. This library was established under a trust deed which specified that it should be for the use of Europeans.

Mr. Manuel

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, although the Nairobi City Council supports this library, there is also a fairly substantial grant from the Carnegie Trust? Does he consider that he carries the Trust members with him in providing in Nairobi a memorial library which is not open to Asians and Africans?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

That is for the trustees to consider. As far as the Government are concerned, they also make grants to the Desai Memorial Library in Nairobi and the Saif bin Salim Library in Mombasa, both of which are run on a communal basis. There could be no question of a Government library being reserved for the use of Europeans.

Mr. Foot

Will the Minister explain how he justifies giving the taxpayers' money to subsidise an institution which practises the colour bar?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I think it must be borne in mind that in Kenya there are quite a number of European taxpayers.

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