asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has received any information regarding the public auction at Nairobi, on 31st March next, of 54 farms of Crown land, comprising a total of over 158,000 acres in the Kenya highlands, on leases of 999 years; and whether His Majesty's Government will order the suspension of this sale until a decision, as recommended by the Report of the Commission on Closer Union in Central and Eastern Africa, has been taken on the principles which should govern such sales to non- natives, and also the questions governing the putting into force of the Native Land Trust Ordinance have been settled?

My Noble Friend has telegraphed to the Governor of Kenya for information regarding the auction of farms advertised for the 31st March, but he has not yet had a reply. In the circumstances I am not yet in a position to answer my hon. Friend's inquiry, and I would ask him to repeat the question a week hence.