§ 11. Mr. R. Edwardsasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of Sierra Leone Africans who are at present engaged in diamond mining in the diamond mining area of Sierra Leone, the number who have been granted licences to mine on Selection Trust land, and the number of areas of diamondiferous land 64W on which Sierra Leone Africans have been granted licences.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe estimated number of those at present engaged in diamond mining, including those employed by licence holders, is between 55,000 to 60,000 men, on 3,083 licence areas. 89 diamond mining licences were incorrectly issued within the Sierra Leone Selection Trust area in March this year. These licences have since been cancelled.