§ Mr. HANNONasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that ex-soldiers desirous of purchasing undeveloped land in Kenya for the purposes of farming are obliged to attend public auctions and bid against 61W real estate syndicates, against whom they have very little chance of securing land at reasonable prices; and whether he will consider the desirability of giving ex-soldiers facilities to purchase such land direct from the Government, at a reasonable price?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREIn 1919 a special scheme was opened for a limited time, under which ex-soldiers were enabled, subject to certain conditions, to obtain leases of Crown lands on exceptionally favourable terms. It was not, however, possible to keep these terms open indefinitely, and the position in regard to the disposal of land in the areas open for European settlement is now goverened by the ordinary law under which lands have to be offered for sale at auction. The position of the ex-service men who applied for but did not obtain farms under the scheme of 1919 was very fully considered by the late Secretary of State and the late Governor of Kenya, and it was decided that to re-open the scheme on their amount would not be justified, a decision in which I concur.