§ 74. Mr. J. Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement regarding the present circumstances of the African trade union officials in Northern Rhodesia who were forcibly arrested by the police on 11th September and later released upon an application of habeas corpus only to be banished from the Copper Belt; and, in particular, what happened to Matthew Nkoloma, the General Secretary of the African Mine Workers Union, who was put on trial and recently acquitted.
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§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI assume that the hon. Member is referring to the 31 officers and members of the African Mine Workers Trade Union who were detained under the Emergency Regulations and are now restricted from entering the Copper Belt. I have nothing to add to my previous statements to the House on 24th and 31st October last year, and to the detailed reply I have given today to the hon. Member for Eton and Slough (Mr. Brockway). I have received no report from the Governor about Mr. Nkoloma who is one of those at present restricted, but will make inquiries and write to the hon. Member when I receive the Governor's reply.