§ 2.47 p.m.
§ THE EARL OF LUCANMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they adhere to the view that the African candidates for the two seats in the Federal Legislature reserved for representatives of African interests in Southern Rhodesia should be chosen by African organisations, and whether this view was endorsed by the Governor of Southern Rhodesia.]
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS(VISCOUNT SWINTON)My Lords, the Regulations made by the Governor of Southern Rhodesia provide that nomination of an African candidate shall be supported by not fewer than twenty-five Africans qualified to vote.
§ THE EARL OF LUCANMy Lords, before thanking the noble Viscount for his reply, I should like to say, on behalf of noble Lords on this side of the House, how glad we are to see him back, and to welcome his return. May I then ask him whether he is aware that of the four candidates nominated for the two specially elected seats for Southern Rhodesia, only one, to the best of my knowledge, was nominated by an African organisation.
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONMy Lords, I am obliged to the noble Earl and his colleagues for their kindness. I had a wonderful time, but it is nice to be home. In answer to the supplementary question of the noble Earl, I am not sure whether more than one candidate was nominated by an African organisation, but I should like to say this. I told the House just before I went to Rhodesia—and the House rather endorsed it—that I hoped to have an opportunity while I was there 1012 of seeing a number of representative Africans, of all sorts; and this I did. I found that there was strong support for the point of view that the Africans who stood and were elected should not regard themselves just as watchdogs of African interests, but should be people competent and determined to play their full part as Members of Parliament in everything which the Federal Parliament had to do. From such information as I have, I can certainly say that the African candidates who are standing are all men of responsibility, any one of whom, I believe, would be fully qualified to play his full part in the House. Therefore, I feel well satisfied that there will be good representation there, and that these will be men who will not merely look after a sectional interest but will be effective both as Parliamentarians and in that policy of partnership which I am sure we all want to see fulfilled.
§ THE EARL OF LUCANMy Lords, one would not wish to dissent from the views which the noble Viscount has given; but he will no doubt agree that for the benefit and the good working of the Federation it is of the utmost importance that these specially selected Africans should have the confidence of their fellow Africans in Southern Rhodesia.
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONMy Lords, I entirely agree, and I feel confident that any of those who have been nominated will have that confidence from the start. What will really earn and sustain that confidence is how they discharge their duties after they have been elected.