§ Mr. W. BAKERasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that Clause 43 of the Constitution of Southern Rhodesia gives natives the right to purchase land anywhere outside the reserves on the same terms as Europeans; that a proposal is now before the Rhodesian House of Assembly to set apart certain areas where natives alone can acquire ownership and certain other areas where Europeans alone can acquire it; whether any representations have been made to him on the subject; and, if so, what action he proposes to take?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThe reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, but I would refer the hon. Member in this connection to the despatch of the 22nd December, 1921, published in Cmd. 1573, from which it will be seen that in explaining the proposed new Constitution for Southern Rhodesia the then Secretary of State for the Colonies referred to the suggestion which had been made that specified districts should be set aside in which natives alone might acquire land, and stated that if full and impartial inquiry should show, after responsible government had come into force, that some amendment of the 2189W law is necessary, His Majesty's Government would be prepared to consider an amendment. In consequence of this suggestion, the Southern Rhodesian Government appointed a Commission in 1925 to inquire into the matter under the chairmanship of Sir Morris Carter, formerly Chief Justice of Tanganyika, Territory, and the Commission has reported in favour of the policy of setting aside areas in which the acquisition of land should be confined to Europeans and natives respectively. The Premier of Southern Rhodesia discussed the question with my right hon. Friend when he was in London last year, and he informed him that it could be understood that the broad lines of the Report of the Commission are in principle acceptable to His Majesty's Government, but that it would be necessary for His Majesty's Government to reserve the detailed consideration of the Report for a later stage.
The matter was left as follows: The Southern Rhodesian Government would submit a resolution to the Legislative Assembly asking for their general approval of the Report, and if such approval was given, a detailed scheme would then be prepared by the Southern Rhodesian Government, and submitted to His Majesty's Government.