HL Deb 27 March 1962 vol 238 cc849-50

2.41 p.m.

LORD COLYTON

My Lords, I beg leave 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 their attention has been drawn to the campaign of intimidation which is now being carried out by certain trade unions in Kenya against industrial and business concerns and other organisations by means of drawing up black lists of European. Asian and African personnel.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COLONIAL AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF PERTH)

My Lords, it has been reported to Her Majesty's Government that a so-called "black list" has been drawn up by one trade union in Kenya and that another union is preparing a list. I entirely support the Kenya Government's condemnation of this practice and all measures which might be taken to put a stop to this form of intimidation.

LORD COLYTON

My Lords, while thanking my noble friend for his reply, may I ask whether he does not agree that this practice is wholly deplorable, in view of the proclaimed intention of all parties at Lancaster House to seek to build a Kenyan nation? Will he take advantage of the presence here of Mr. Tom Mboya to urge that immediate steps should be taken by the Kenyan Federation of Labour, of which these unions are members, to put a stop to it?

THE EARL OF PERTH

Yes, my Lords; I am, of course, at one with my noble friend in condemning this practice as wholly deplorable. The suggestion that he makes seems to me to be an interesting one, and I will take advantage of it.

LORD MILVERTON

My Lords, may I ask my noble friend one supplementary question, which rather dots the "i's" of one of his own comments—namely, is he aware that on March 22 Mr. M. B. Alu, the KANU branch secretary at Naivasha urged that there should be a black list of Europeans who should be turned out of Kenya? He went on to incite the General Agricultural Workers' Union and the Distributive and Allied Workers' Union to take part, and said that they should have been the first to list the worst bosses. Does not the noble Earl feel that, for an official of the Party which hopes to provide the next Government of an independent Kenya, this is a wholly undesirable public activity?

THE EARL OF PERTH

My Lords, I am not aware of the particular case the noble Lord has mentioned. But, as I have indicated, I am entirely with him in thinking that this is both wrong and deplorable, and that we must do all we can to stop it.