§ Mr. SNELLasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any further quota of the 4,000 labourers conscripted for Kenya Colony has been called out; and whether any of the labourers so conscripted in 1925 have since returned to their villages?
§ Mr. AMERYI think the hon. Member is under some misapprehension. The maximum period during which labour can be called upon under the Native Authority Ordinance is 60 days. As stated in my reply to the similar question by the hon. Member on the 23rd November, 1925, the number of labourers called out for railway construction in the spring of 1925 was 3,094. These labourers returned to their homes on completion of 60 days' work. Since that date no further recourse has been had to compulsory labour under the provisions of the Ordinance relating to the construction or maintenance of rail- 575W ways or other works of a public nature. The circumstances are fully set out in Command Paper 2464, which was presented to Parliament in July, 1925, to which I would refer the hon. Member.