§ Sir J. SANDEMAN ALLENasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can indicate the principle which is being followed in the East African group of territories as to the location of the directors of the agricultural departments; why, in the case of Tanganyika, the headquarters have been transferred from the seat of Government to an inland experimental station, and in the case of Uganda from the commercial and agricultural capital to the seat of 1327W Government; whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction in Uganda at the decision to transfer the headquarters of the agricultural department from Kampala to Entebbe; and whether, in view of the strength of feeling manifested by cables and letters addressed to the Colonial Office, the London Chamber of Commerce, and the Joint East African Board, by the leading trade organisations in Uganda, the Secretary of State for the Colonies will consider revising his. decision?
§ Mr. LUNNI have been asked to reply to this question. The question of the location of the headquarters of agricultural departments in the East African Dependencies has to be decided in accordance with local conditions. In the case of the Tanganyika Territory, the headquarters of the department has been moved to Morogoro, which is conveniently situated in an important agricultural area where one of the principal agricultural experimental stations is established. In the case of Uganda, no locality possessing similar advantages is available, and the choice lies between Kampala as the chief commercial centre and Entebbe as the seat of Government. The relative advantages of Kampala and Entebbe were carefully considered, in consultation with the Governor of Uganda, and full account was taken of the arguments which were put forward both in Uganda and by interested bodies in this country against removal of the headquarters of the department from Kampala. My Noble Friend (the Secretary of State for the Colonies) came to the conclusion, on a review of all the circumstances, that the balance of advantage lay in the headquarters being at Entebbe, and he decided accordingly; and he regrets that he cannot hold out any prospect of the decision being revised.