§ 16. Mrs. Castleasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what acreage of land has been purchased in Northern Rhodesia by the Miami Estates Company.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. John Profumo)None, Sir; this company is not registered in Northern Rhodesia and holds no land there.
§ Mrs. CastleIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the Nationalist-controlled companies in South Africa are now buying up some of the finest farmland in Southern Rhodesia and that the Miami Estates Company, which has on its board of directors, or had until recently, a South African Cabinet Minister, a provincial administrator and a Nationalist Member of Parliament, has itself bought 27,000 acres in Southern Rhodesia? Will the Under-Secretary give an undertaking that this or any similar company will not be allowed to purchase land in any of our Protectorates?
§ Mr. ProfumoI cannot possibly answer for Southern Rhodesia.
§ Mrs. CastleI am not asking the hon. Gentleman to answer for Southern Rhodesia. I asked him to give an undertaking that these companies would not be allowed to buy land in Northern Rhodesia or any other of our Protectorates.
§ Mr. ProfumoIn Northern Rhodesia, South African companies in the past three years have purchased land to the extent of 12 acres only.