HC Deb 16 July 1957 vol 573 cc924-5
5. Mr. Brockway

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if the Government of Northern Rhodesia have accepted the recommendations of the Brown Committee on African representation on local government authorities.

20. Mr. Swingler

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what proposals have been made by the Government of Northern Rhodesia to introduce African representation on municipal councils.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The Brown Committee on African Representation in Local Government in Urban Areas recommended that special arrangements be made for greater participation by Africans in the administration of the African housing areas but did not recommend direct representation in the local authorities. The report of the Committee is to be debated in the Northern Rhodesia Legislative Council during the present meeting.

Mr. Brockway

Would the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind the fact that there are no African representatives at all in these local authorities and that he has recently given me replies about the population which show twenty-seven Africans to one European, eight to one European and five to one European. If the demands of the Africans for a place in their country are to be met, would he not at least encourage African representation in these local authorities?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I am all for increasing the chances of Africans playing a proper part in their own affairs. I will lay this Report in the Library of the House. I hope the hon. Member will hear in mind, however, that the present position is that African housing areas within local authority areas are not rate-able and that Africans are therefore not ratepayers in the housing areas. This is a factor which ought to be borne in mind. If, after further reading the Report—

Mr. Brockway

I have read it.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

—the hon. Member wants to question me further, I shall be glad to answer him.

Mr. Swingler

Would not the right hon. Gentleman reconsider this matter very carefully? Is it not basic to our ideas of government in these territories that we should govern with the consent of the majority? Is it not clear that the Africans here are in all cases in the majority? Will not the Secretary of State say that it is his policy that as soon as possible the majority should be represented on the governing body?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Most certainly. I made that quite clear when I was in Northern Rhodesia. I ask hon. Members to ponder the Report carefully. It puts the picture as a whole.