asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) what steps his department is taking to encourage students in Northern Rhodesia to take up offers of educational facilities abroad;

(2) how many Northern Rhodesian African students are at present studying in the United States of America; and how many scholarships in the United States of America have been offered to Northern Rhodesians in the last twelve months.

Every advantage is taken of offers of educational facilities abroad, especially where appropriate courses are not at present available locally and where the quality and condition of courses abroad are known to be satisfactory.

I understand from the Governor that fifteen Northern Rhodesian African students are at present studying in the United States. During the past twelve months a further eight scholarships have been awarded.

Is the Secretary of State aware that I have been informed that, within the last three months or so, scholarships have been offered from the United States to Northern Rhodesians, conditional on certain expenses being covered by the Federal Government, and that the Federal Government have turned them down? The result is that these facilities are not available. Will the Secretary of State check whether this is correct and, if it is, will he take appropriate action?

I will indeed check on this matter. I have seen a report which, I think, may be the one to which the right hon. Gentleman has referred, in the Guardian some time ago on this matter, but I understand that the position is not, as far as Northern Rhodesia is concerned, that these have been rejected, but that they are still being considered.

Does not the Secretary of State agree that this raises an important issue and will he do everything he can to discourage some of his officials in Africa from looking down their noses at offers of American educational assistance and regarding this as our private educational preserve? Will the right hon. Gentleman do everything he can to encourage co-operation in educational matters with the United States authorities?

I am sure that that co-operation is there but, naturally, one can form an adequate scholarship level of people going to universities only where there is an adequate secondary school educational level from which to draw these scholars. It is largely on that matter that Governments in East and Central Africa have been concentrating.

But often the objection is at the other end in the view taken of the quality of the education being offered at American institutions. Will the Secretary of State bear in mind that, in view of the tremendous educational needs of these areas, it is a serious matter to turn down reasonable offers of educational help from the United States?

I agree, but, on the other hand, it is necessary that the Governments of those territories should be satisfied clearly of the quality of the education offered to them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many sentences of under three months duration have been imposed by the native courts of Northern Rhodesia in the year 1958, 1959 and 1960; and under what regulations the right of appeal against such sentences is refused.

To furnish exact figures would call for a survey of over 150,000 criminal cases in the three years in question. In the overwhelming majority of these, however, any sentences of imprisonment imposed were of less than three months. The only limitation on the right of appeal is that contained in Section 33 of the Native Courts Ordinance, and this is about to be abolished.

Is the Secretary of State aware that there is great anxiety, particularly in the present explosive situation, about the enormous number of people who are now receiving sentences of less than three months for the most trivial offences—even to the point of being sentenced for holding indoor and outdoor meetings? In view of this explosive situation, will the right hon. Gentleman do something to temper the position in the Province?

I think that the point made in the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question is dealt with in my main Answer. The new Native Courts Ordinance now has the Royal Assent and I hope that it will come into effect next month.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give the grounds on which Mr. Kenneth Kaunda was recently served with deportation orders on five occasions in the Northern Province of Northern Rhodesia.

These removal orders were issued in June and July, 1960. They were made by the native authorities concerned because they considered that Mr. Kaunda's presence in their areas at that time was likely to jeopardise law and order.

While thanking the Secretary of State for that reply, may I quote from an article in the 30th April issue of African Life?

Order. Quotations from books, speeches or the like are out of order at Question Time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to point out that this report reveals that there have been recent deportations. Does not the Secretary of State think—in view of the explosive situation which I mentioned in my supplementary question to Question No. 8—that there should be disclaimers when statements of this kind are made, because these papers have a wide circulation among the native population?

The hon. Gentleman must look at this in the circumstances of the time. This was a considerable time ago—almost a year ago—following a period of great tension when there were outbreaks of violence, especially on the Copperbelt in May of last year. As fat as I know, no recent deportation orders have been served, as suggested in the hon. Gentleman's Question.

Is Mr. Kaunda now free to visit these areas and to organise meetings provided that they are con- ducted in an orderly way?

I imagine so, but I will have to check that point. I assume that the deportation orders made in the summer of last year have lapsed.

The Secretary of State has said that these deportation orders were made a year ago. Can he give an assurance that, in view of the great influence of Mr. Kaunda against violence in Northern Rhodesia, he will have liberty to hold meetings in the Northern Province?

My hon. Friend and I have answered that question several times. We have made careful inquiries into the allegations that have been made about events in the Northern Province and I am satisfied that there is, and will be, no interference with the rights of people to hold ordinary political activities there.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the danger of fire from the disturbances in Angola, especially in the approaching dry season, what steps are being taken in the neighbouring territory of Northern Rhodesia to prevent the spread of fire into that territory.

The boundary between Angola and Northern Rhodesia is marked by a cleared strip which acts as a fire break. There are regular patrols during the dry season.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in these border areas fire bombs have been used by the Portuguese during the disturbances, despite the cleared strip? Does not the use of these fire bombs present a danger to foodstuffs, fuel, factories and so on across the border? If it does not cease, will the right hon. Gentleman make a protest to the Portuguese Government?

I think that the fact that this boundary is marked by a cleared strip, which in itself is a firebreak, together with the additional precaution that during the dry season there are regular patrols, should take care of any anxiety which the hon. Gentleman has.