HC Deb 22 June 1955 vol 542 c74W
Mr. J. Johnson

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he is taking to ensure that Portuguese Africans illegally crossing the Mozambique border into Nyasaland are not allowed to settle as squatters in the colony.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

In the Southern Province of Nyasaland all Native Authorities and District Councils have made rules under the Native Authority Ordinance prohibiting any alien African from settling in their area without the written permission of the District Commissioner. In addition, rules made under the Native Tax Ordinance last November make immigrant Africans liable for tax and require them to register their names with the District Commissioner or Native Authority in whose area they are living. As the jurisdiction of Native Authorities does not extend to private estates, the Government hopes to effect some measure of control on these by amending the Africans on Private Estates Ordinance to prevent immigrant Africans from acquiring status as resident Africans. The effectiveness of any control measures must of course depend on the active co-operation of the African population itself.

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