§ Mr. H. Hyndasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what proportion of the labour force on sisal estates in Tanganyika is on short-term labour contracts 17W and what proportion is family labour that has volunteered to settle on the estates.
§ Mr. Lyttelton,pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 6th May, 1953; Vol. 515, c. 377] supplied the following information;
Approximately 75 per cent. of the labour on sisal estates is on short-term contract. The period of engagement ranges from one card of 30 working days up to one year.
Married labour which has settled on the estates is about 25 per cent. of the total labour force but on certain estates the proportion of permanently settled labour is as high as 50 per cent.
Government policy is to encourage Africans leaving their homes to seek work to take their families with them if they wish so to do. This policy was enunciated at the beginning of 1952 and there is evidence that it is having effect.