More U.K. MPs Here Today (October 5, 1977)

Herald Reporter

TWO British Conservative MPs, Mr Nicholas Fairbairn and Mr Michael Mates, arrived in Salisbury this morning on a fact-finding visit to Rhodesia,

They will join a Tory parliamentary colleague, Mr Geoffrey Pattie, who arrived in Rhodesia on Monday. Mr Pattie was said to be on a trip to the operational area yesterday with two other visiting Conservative MPs, Mr Neville Trotter and Mr Nicholas Winterton who return home today.

The director of the Rhodesian Promotion Council, Mr David Brewer, said Mr Fairbairn (MP for Kinross and Perthshire West), Mr Mates (Peters field) and Mr Pattie (Chertsey-Walton) were visiting Rhodesia "under their own steam" but the council was helping to arrange their programme.

He said they wanted to know more about Rhodesia while on the spot and planned to meet a wide range of business, political as well as Government leaders.

Asked if the MPs would meet the Prime Minister, Mr Ian Smith, Mr Brewer said: "I expect they will want to, but we have not arranged it yet. It depends on how busy the Prime Minister is."

He said their itinerary would include a visit to the operational area, the Tribal Trust Land Development Corporation's project at Sanyati, the University of Rhodesia, the Andrew Fleming Hospital in Salisbury and the Dombotombo African township at Marandellas,

End

Source: Rhodesia Herald Newspaper, dated October 5, 1977 which was made available by Rob Picton (Intaf) Thanks Rob.

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