Mr. Creech Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he has yet received the information as to how many permits have been applied for and granted to natives of Northern and Southern Rhodesia for permission to buy and sell the gold found on lands in native occupation?
Mr. M. MacDonaldI assume the hon. Member is referring to the Question which he asked on the 10th November, 1938, though this had not been understood to1392W refer to the question of the grant of permission to buy gold. The Governor of Southern Rhodesia subsequently reported that according to such information as was available 37 applications had been made by natives for prospecting licences within the previous 10 years and that five such licences had been issued. The Governor of Northern Rhodesia reported that no permits for searching for or for selling gold had been applied for or issued to natives in Northern Rhodesia during the same period.