§ 1. Mr. Stonehouseasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what plans he now has for the future administration of the Protectorates of Bechuanaland, Basutoland and Swaziland, in view of the intention of the Union of South Africa to become a republic.
§ The Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations (Mr. Duncan Sandys)I see no reason why the intention of the Union of South Africa to become a Republic should in itself make necessary any change in the administration of the High Commission Territories.
§ Mr. StonehouseIs the Secretary of State aware that there is great resentment in the three Protectorates at the fact that the administration of these Territories is handled by a High Commissioner who is also our diplomatic representative in the Union, and does not the Report of the Morse Economic Survey Mission reveal that there has been a lack of dynamism in the economic development of these Protectorates? Further, is not the administration of the Bechuanaland Protectorate from Mafeking completely out of date? Will not the right hon. Gentleman see that the headquarters of the administration are transferred into the Bechuanaland Protectorate?
§ Mr. SandysThe hon. Gentleman has asked me a number of supplementary questions. I will not speak about dynamics. On the other two points, these Territories are linked very closely geographically and economically with 558 the Union of South Africa and are, in some cases, completely surrounded by its territories. Therefore, I believe that there are practical advantages in combining the post of British High Commmissioner in South Africa with that of High Commissioner for the High Commission Territories. On the other point raised by the hon. Gentleman, there would no doubt be some practical advantage in moving the headquarters of the Administration from Mafeking, which is in the Union, into the territory of the Bechuanaland Protectorate, but this, undoubtedly, would be quite expensive and in my view we have more urgent purposes to which I should like to devote such money as is available.
§ Mr. G. M. ThomsonWill the right hon. Gentleman tell the House that he is giving urgent consideration to the Morse Report mentioned by my hon. Friend, and will he in particular give personal consideration to the question of developing education there as quickly as possible?
§ Mr. SandysCertainly.