§ Mr. van Straubenzeeasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will make a statement about railway development in Swaziland.
§ Mr. SandysHer Majesty's Government have decided that work on the building of the first railway in Swaziland shall begin as soon as possible. The railway will run a distance of about 140 miles from the west of Swaziland to the Mozambique border where it will link with the Portuguese railway to Lourenco Marques.
Construction of this rail link will make it possible to develop for export large iron ore deposits at Ngwenya.
The estimated cost of building the Swaziland section will be about £8 million. The Colonial Development Corporation and the Anglo-American Corporation have agreed to provide the major proportion of the capital required. I take this opportunity of thanking these two Corporations for their co-operation in this venture which will, I am sure, do much to foster the development of this Territory.
The High Commissioner has issued a proclamation providing for the establishment of a Swaziland Railway Board which will be responsible for the Swaziland section of the new railway. The proclamation provides for a member of the Board representing the Swazi nation and three other unofficial members.