Mr. CREECH JONESasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he will have inquiries made as to whether any discrimination is practised against the native people of Southern Rhodesia by the withholding of mining licences from them; whether gold mining in that territory is regarded as a white monopoly; and whether he will bring the constitutional position to the notice of the Government of that colony?
Mr. M. MacDONALDAs I stated in reply to a question on the 28th July, natives have received prospecting licences in Southern Rhodesia in the past, and I have been assured by the Southern Rhodesia Government that no native in a position to carry out mining operations effectively will be refused such a licence. There is no discrimination against mining by natives in the Southern Rhodesia Mining Law.