390
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882/10
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC.- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
29. I may sum up this section by saying that the existing industries of the Colony need development and need money for that development. In view of these facts, I think that it would be unwise to attempt the introduction of new industries until the existing ones are efficiently handled. A definite and consistent policy of encouragement and finance on the part of the Goverment appears to be called for, accompanied by adequate arrangements for instructing the agricultural population in methods of sound agriculture.
The Department of Agriculture.
30. There is a considerable amount of local dissatisfaction with the work of this Department, and it some that there are grounds for this dissatisfaction. Just after its foundation in 1901, a considerable amount of useful work was carried out in the way of disseminating information regarding agricultural possibilities of the Colony, and of importing new planta for distribution. I think that the guano and the copra industries, for example, owe something to the Department, the first through analyses and examinations carried out by the Curator of the Gardens, the second through this officer's early advocacy of a copra industry and his published infomation on the subject, All earlier reports are full of information about tropical crops, and must have played a considerabl part in extending local knowledge in the subject. years, the Department can fairly claim a certain degree of credit for its work in connection with the Forests and with the legislation for treatment of pests.
In later
31. The present position is that this Department has ceased to have any direct connection with the industries of the Colony, excepting through the work of a solitary Inspector whose duties are confined to enforcing the Ordinance regarding cleaning of plantations. If any results are to follow ita existence, a complete change, both of its outlook and methods, is necessary, and I may add that this can be effected only if a complete and radical change in the outlook of the Govern- ment upon the agriculture of the Colony takes place first. In all the Colonies, the Department of Agriculture is comparatively new, and in consequence the evolution of an agricultural policy has been left to the head of the Department until comparatively lately; it is now time for this Government to adopt a definite policy, as it does in the case of other Departments, such for instance as Finance, Mucation or Customs, and to cease leaving the matter to the
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initiative of one man, who may or may not be efficient,
rests
32. The activities of the local Department at present include the following:- care of the Botanic Gardens, and of three small ornamental gardens in the town, care of the and Crown Lands, and enforcement of the Plant Pests Ordinance. There have been proposals to add Fisheries to the list, and I am aware that a precedent exists for this in the case of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries of Great Britain, but I ar unable to see the connection between the two, and certainly do not recommend the same procedure locally, unless this Department is to continue as a collection of miscellaneous activities desired by no other Department and but remotely connected with agriculture.
33. Upkeep and exploitation of Foresta, and experiments with new forest trees and schemes of reafforestation are closely enough connected with agriculture to warrant this work being undertaken by the Agricultural Department: in addition, no other Department in this Colony is likely to handle the forests as efficiently. With regard to Botanic and ornea on tal gardens, the position is somewhat different: the latter have never been even remotely connected with agriculture, the former have long ceased to perform any agricultural functions. Botanic Gardens in the beginning did useful work in importing new varieties of plants, but they now have no agri cul tur al functions which would not better be performed on an agricul- tural experiment station, and they cannot do the work which is expected of an experiment station: they must therefore be accepted frankly as a purely educational institution, and the Colony decide whether their upkeep can be afforded sc long as agricultural work is unprovided for.
34. Much of the local dissatisfaction with the work of, the Agricultural Department centres around the feeling that time and money intended for agricultural work are being devoted to purely ornamental gardening. That there is scme ground for this is shown by the following statment of expenditure: -
Service 1921.
Curator and Clerk of Gardens
Gardener and Watchman Gardens
Labour, Botanio à Ornamental Gardens Transport of plants
Forest Rangers
Crown lands overseera
Maintenance of Crown lands Reafforestation
Amount.
Rs. 5000
732 1164
200
2700
660
600
2520
Total
13575
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