19. Mrs. Whiteasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the local conditions which require the continuation of penal sanctions in Northern Rhodesia in contravention of the Convention of 1939.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydCivil sanctions are still found to be in-effective to protect employees against employers who default in payment of wages, and employers against employees who fail to begin work under a contract or subsequently leave it Retention of penal sanctions by the Northern Rhodesia Government on these grounds does not contravene the Convention which provides for progressive abolition.
Mrs. WhiteCan the right hon. Gentleman say what progress has been made with abolition and why it was possible to repeal these regulations in Kenya and Tanganyika but not in Northern Rhodesia?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydNo one knows better than the hon. Lady that circumstances vary. Last year there were actually 669 prosecutions against employers and only 76 against employees. This position is not quite so simple as it might appear, but I agree that we all hope eventually to see it go.