§ 14. Mrs. Castleasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the Nyasaland Government is leasing public land in the Protectorate on the condition that it shall be limited to European occupation only; and whether he will take steps to remove all such discriminatory clauses from these leases.
§ The Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Alan Lennox-Boyd)It has been the practice, where Europeans have applied for leases of public land for European residential purposes, to provide in such leases that the land shall be used for European residential purposes only. Similarly, where an Asian or African applies for a lease of a residential plot the use is normally limited to Asian or African residential use as the case may be. It was recently decided, however, that in the case of new residential areas, excluding certain urban or peri-urban areas reserved for Africans for the sake of their convenience, the user clause should no longer contain a reference to race.
§ Mrs. CastleWould not the right hon. Gentleman agree that in the past this policy has been really equivalent to a policy of segregation of the most naked kind? While welcoming his Answer about future policy, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman what will be the position regarding, for instance, the lease of public lands in Fort Johnson where European residents who wish to sub-lease land to Asians or coloured people have been forbidden permission to do so by the Lands Department? Will he look into that point and have the present continuation of this segregation policy stopped?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI will certainly look into anything, but we ought to look to t[...] future as well. I have made a statem[...] with regard to new land, which I t[...] hon. Lady will find satisfact[...]