§ Major GLYNasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is now in a position to state the number of ex-service settlers in Kenya Colony, British East Africa, who are actually established on their farms and holdings; what is considered to be the average amount of capital needed to enable these men to start their business; whether any intending settlers, being ex-officers and men, have had to relinquish the idea of settling in that colony; and what are the usual reasons for their decision?
§ Lieut.-Colonel AMERYI have no information as to the number of service settlers actually established on their farms. The minimum capital required under the scheme, which did not involve any immediate payment for the land, was put at £1,000 eighteen months ago. Recently the conditions have become less favourable, and the Governor has urged that persons without local experience should not go out unless they have £5,000, to include the cost of land purchased in the open market, the price of which is very high. With regard to the latter part of the question, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Stratford (Mr. Lyle) on the 18th November. In the only case which has come before me the allot tee was dissatisfied with the character of the land first drawn, and also with that of the land which he chose from alternative areas offered to him by the Commissioner of Lands.