HC Deb 13 March 1957 vol 566 cc1123-4
13. Sir L. Plummer

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reply has been given to the request of the Southern Province Provincial Council in Nyasaland that Nyasaland be withdrawn from the Federation and that there should be an African majority both on the Executive and Legislative Councils.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the statements made to me by certain members of the Southern Province African Provincial Council during my visit to Nyasaland in January. I replied that in Her Majesty's Government's view Federation—which was certainly not the same thing as amalgamation—was in the best interests of the people of Nyasaland and had come to stay. I added that the economic advancement brought by Federation would help and not hinder the political advancement of Nyasaland.

I referred to the statement on the new constitutional arrangements for Nyasaland which I gave in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Spelthorne (Mr. Beresford Craddock) on 15th June, 1955, and drew attention to the words of the Chief Secretary to the Nyasaland Government, used in Legislative Council in July, 1956, when he advised Africans to gain experience in parliamentary government before pressing for more constitutional advances.

Sir L. Plummer

Yes. Sir, but the Africans concerned with this believe that they will have an opportunity in 1960 to express their views towards the continuance of Federation. In the light of this, is it not a good thing not to be negative to their points of view and for the right hon. Gentleman to try to treat them as sympathetically as he can?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I think that was the conclusion which most of them reached when I visited them last month.

Mr. Wade

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that these requests for withdrawal from the Federation will continue and, I fear, become more persistent unless there is greater confidence in the prospect of increased African representation on the Executive and Legislative Councils?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I certainly think that is one important facet of the matter.