Land Tenure (Hansard, 1 August 1957)

§ 40. Mr. J. Johnson
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is his policy regarding land tenure in the African townships of Northern Rhodesia.

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
The Northern Rhodesian Government are considering one aspect of land tenure in African townships, the facilitation of African leasehold tenure in African township and municipal areas, as I explained in my reply to the hon. Member's Question on 8th May. Apart from that, the Northern Rhodesian Government recently established a committee to investigate land tenure in urban and peri-urban areas, with particular reference to the need to encourage capital investment and other development.

§ Mr. Johnson
Is it not a fact that the Northern Rhodesian Government have had a Bill on the stocks for the last six months to allow Africans to have title deeds to land, arrange mortgages, and be given some security in their holdings in African townships? I was told out there that they were being held up by the dilatoriness of the Colonial Secretary——

Mr. Gresham Cooke
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Have you noticed the long period which has been taken on these Questions to the Colonial Secretary. Is it in order for hon. Members to give information rather than ask for information in their supplementaries?

§ Mr. Speaker
Really, a supplementary question should be a question, as the words imply, but I have frequently heard a supplementary question put in such a way that one is in doubt as to who is answering the Question and who is asking it.

§ Mr. Johnson
May I ask it now, Sir? Is it not a fact that the Rhodesian Government are waiting for the Colonial Secretary to alter or repeal the 1924 Ordinance so that they can get on with their own Bill in their Legislative Council? Why is the Colonial Secretary so slow in taking action here?

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
I am trying to alter a situation which was tolerated throughout the whole tenure of office of the late Socialist Government. I am doing my best. I have had nothing but praise from the Northern Rhodesian Government for the spirit with which we are tackling this quite difficult problem.