§ Dr. O'DONOVANasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if plans and estimates for the new capital at Lusaka had been received before the decision to remove from Livingstone was confirmed by the Colonial Office?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe decision to remove the capital from Livingstone, as part of the general policy of development in Northern Rhodesia, was taken early in 1929; but Lusaka was not chosen as the most suitable alternative site until later, when plans and preliminary estimates for a new capital at that place had been received and considered.
§ Dr. O'DONOVANasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what medical reasons exist for moving the capital of Northern Rhodesia from Livingstone to Lusaka; and if he will publish any reports on the matter in his possession?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Chief Secretary to the Government of Northern Rhodesia in Legislative Council on 24th July, 1931, which appears on page 64 of the Legislative Council Debates of the Fifth Session of the Third Council. General information regarding the matter is to be found in the reports of the Legislative Council Debates of the Sixth Session of the Second Council, on 22nd March, 1929, and of the Fifth Session of the Third Council, on 23rd July, 1931. These are 1407W in the Library of the House. No reports have been published dealing specially with the medical aspect of the question. References to the health conditions at Livingstone may be found in the annual medical reports of the Protectorate.
§ Dr. O'DONOVANasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if reports have been received in his office of the protest meeting in Livingstone against the removal of Government headquarters from this town; and whether any records are available for consultative meetings in Northern Rhodesia urging the development of a capital at Lusaka?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe answer to the first part of the hon. Member's question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part, I would refer him to the reports of the Debates of the Legislative Council of Northern Rhodesia. A copy has been placed in the Library.
§ Dr. O'DONOVANasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if, in view of the depressed state of the copper industry and the need for economy, he will consider the possibility of postponing for a time the development of a new capital at Lusaka and sanction the small capital expenditure for the erection and repair of administrative offices at Livingstone?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI have come to the conclusion that the most economical course is to develop the new capital. A sum of at least £200,000 would be necessary for the erection and repair of administrative offices, and the new quarters required, at Livingstone.
§ Mr. LECKIEasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can give particulars of the annual output from the Broken Hill and other copper mines in Northern Rhodesia, together with the amount of taxation paid by them for each of the last five years and the amount collected in poll tax for each of these years?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe figures of copper production and native tax are as shown in the accompanying statement. The statistics of taxation paid by the various mining companies are not available.
1408W
Year. Copper (including Concentrates). Year. Native Tax. Tons. £ 1927 … 3,319 1926–27 119,238 1928 … 5,930 1927–28 120,345 1929 … 5,466 1928–29 126,235 1930 … 6,269 1929–30 124,386 1931 … 36,253 1930–31 143,907