Africa

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28869, 14 April 1959, Page 3

Africa

Sir.—Mr Wheeler’s malicious slander of the British in East Africa (concerning alleged land robbing and exploiting of the African masses) should not, I feel, be left without pointing out that Kenya history does, in fact, show that, granted the mistakes and failures in the circumstances,

few colonising enterprises have been carried out with such humanity and justice and such effective protection of the aboriginal liberties and rights, including land rights. For example, in 1932 a Land Commission was sent out from Britain to determine what compensation should be given to those who had any claims whatsoever regarding land. All claims were exhaustively examined and settled in a generous and sensible way. The Kikuyu claim, for instance, amounting to 33 square miles, was met not only by an award of that area but also by an addition of 383 square miles to allow for expansion.—Yours, etc., A. D. WESTENRA. April 11, 1959.