§ 2.40 p.m.
§ LORD AILWYNMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government whether their attention has been drawn to Press reports of the wholesale slaughter of big game by untrained native hunters in Southern Rhodesia, and Tanganyika; whether it is true that this revolting practice has been authorised by the respective Governments with a view to the extinction of the tsetse fly; whether that pest cannot be controlled by more humane means, such as clearing the bush or some form 1400 of spraying; and whether in any case they will ensure that an immediate end is made to this indiscriminate killing—and maiming—by unskilled natives, and that the work of reducing numbers of wild animals, if considered essential, be entrusted to the white hunters and strictly confined to them or to men of similar skill and training.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COLONIAL AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF LISTOWEL)My Lords, like my noble friend, Lord Macdonald of Gwaenysgor, I am answering a number of questions and I, like him, must therefore ask your indulgence for the length of my reply. The noble Lord will appreciate that, since Southern Rhodesia has self-government, it would be improper for me to offer any comments on the position in that Colony. I am glad to say that the implication in the noble Lord's Question, that the Government of Tanganyika have authorised the wholesale slaughter of big game is without foundation. The Tanganyika Game Ordinance of 1940 makes it illegal to hunt any but minor game of the antelope type, except under licence. Noble Lords will appreciate that in a territory so vast as Tanganyika, contravention of the law is bound to occur on a considerable scale; but the Tanganyika Government are preparing new legislation to tighten up control.
The tsetse fly is among the chief factors impeding the development of the nature resources of Tanganyika and the raising of the standard of living of its population, as its presence renders some two-thirds of the country uninhabitable by domestic livestock. Consequently every means of controlling the tsetse fly must be examined. The clearing of bush on a large scale has taken, and will continue to take place. Other anti-tsetse experiments being carried out in Tanganyika include the use of insecticides, both from the air and from the ground.
A controlled experiment is being conducted into the effects of keeping a comparatively small area of 560 square miles free of game other than small antelope and pig. This area contains the three most important species of tsetse flies in East Africa, and it is important, as I am sure the noble Lord will appreciate, to ascertain the effects on them of eliminating the larger plains game. This work is being carried out, under the direction of 1401 scientific officers, by game scouts who are well trained and properly armed. The experiment is proceeding successfully.
I trust that the noble Lord will agree, in view of what I have said, that the strictures implied in his Question on the Government of Tanganyika are unjustified, and that his information was not as accurate as he accepted it to be.
§ LORD AILWYNMy Lords, I thank the noble Earl for his reply, and for some measure of reassurance which he has given me. I appreciate, of course, that these things are the responsibility of the Governments concerned. Before I brought up this Question I was a little more sure of my facts than appeared from the noble Earl's last remarks. All I am trying to ensure, since the wild game of Africa are one of the glories of the world's fauna, is that if it is necessary to destroy them in large numbers, they shall receive a merciful killing, and that the rules of the white hunter—that wounded and mutilated animals shall in all cases be followed and dispatched—shall be observed.