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REFERENCE No.5
COPY OF AN ILLUMINATED ADDRESS PRESENTED TO Mr.H.T.DATE IN UGANDA.
To
sir,
M.T.DAWE, Esq., F.L.S..
Superintendent of Forests and Officer in Charge of the
Botanical and Scientific Department,
Entebbe.
We the undersigned members of the Commercial and Planting Goswami- ty of the Uganda Protectorate take the opportunity of your leaving on a well earned holiday to express the cordial relations that havO over existed between you and ourselves and the deep debt we owe you for the interest you have so consistently show in those matters per- taining to our respective pursuits.
The commercial prosperity of Uganda to a large extent is bound up with its economic products and your endeavour has ever bean to ascertain which of such products can be commercially exploited to the best advantage and to place all your knowledge and experience on such points at our disposal.
The cotton industry of the country has in our opinion been placed on its present footing largely by the work and time you have expend- ed upon its development and the greatest praise is due to you for its initiation. The rapid growth of the industry is evidenced by the fact thatit has been found necessary to form a separate Cotton Department whose new Head we are sure will carry on the good work on the lines you have so ably established.
The planting industry though still in its infancy has always been the subject of your especial care and attention. you were the first to discover Funturia elastics in the forests of this Protectorate and your search has proved that it is found in payable quantities. An impetus was thereby given to the exploitation of other rubber trees and as a result there are now several plantations in the Protectorate which promise exceedingly well. In addition to Funtumis elastion you were thefirst to discover the rubber vine (Landolphia, Dawei)
alled by your name and many valuable timber trees.
Through your exertions development in Agriculture has made uch rap d strides that the increase in work has here also necesitated the formation of a separate Agricultural Department.
Your report of the Forests of the Protectorate which was pre- janted to both Houses of Parliament in the form of a Blue Book is well nown for its full and interesting detaile,
What we would more especially desire to record is the factthat ve thoroughly recognise and are deeply grateful for the immense
Hount of labour and time which you have so willingly expended in our