36
may
be of assistance to the Committee in connection with their researches, although South Africa does not appear to be included in the area of their operations.
32633
*
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 885
20 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
81055
No. 33. TRANSVAAL.
I have, &c.,
HENRY BALE,
Administrator.
THE ACTING GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 18 September, 1909.)
(No. 260.)
MY LORD,
Governor's Office, Johannesburg, August 28th, 1909. WITH reference to your despatch of the 24th July, No. 239,* I have the honour to enclose, for your information, a copy of a minute from Ministers on the subject of the scheme of entomological research for the British Colonies and Pro- tectorates in West and East Africa.
*
(Minute. No. 412.)
Enclosure in No. 33.
I have, &c.,
METHUEN,
Administrator.
Prime Minister's Office, Pretoria, 27 August, 1909. Ministers have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of His Excellency the Administrator's minute, No. 33/19, of the 13th instant, on the subject of a scheme of entomological research in África, and to state that they will be pleased to co-operate with the Committee of Management so far as may be within their power.
Entomological research in the Transvaal has so far been carried out with a view to benefiting the agricultural community and the results of investigations have been published in the form of bulletins, reports, &c. Ministers are prepared, if so desired, to cause copies of these documents to be forwarded to the Committee of Management.
Ministers would add that, in view of enormous amount of work involved in combating the various pests prevalent in the Transvaal, the Entomological Division of the Department of Agriculture could not, at all events at the present time, undertake the systematic collection of specimens for scientific purposes.
JACOB DE VILLIERS.
31597
No. 34.
PROFESSOR G. H. F. NUTTALL to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received 23 September, 1909.)
SIR,
3, Cranmer Road, Cambridge, September 22nd, 1909. REFERRING to your communication of August 5th,† I beg to apologise for my delay in replying thereto. I have just returned from the Continent, and regret that, owing to a misunderstanding, your letter was not forwarded to me during my absence. I beg to state that we shall be delighted to further the aims of the Entomological Research Committee by making arrangements for giving instructions to officials in the service of the British Colonies.
I am, &c.,
G. H. F. NUTTALL.
• No. 17.
† 25586: not printed.
.V
(No. 197.)
MY LORD,
No. 35.
CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(Received 2 October, 1909.)
*
Government House, Cape Town, 13th September, 1909. I HAVE the honour to transmit to your Lordship, with reference to your despatch, No. 212, of 24th July, 1909, a copy of a minute from Ministers on the subject of a scheme of entomological research for the British Colonies and Pro- tectorates in West and East Africa.
I have, &c.,
WALTER HELY-HUTCHINSON.
(Minute. No. 1/345.)
Enclosure in No. 35.
MINISTERS to GOVERNOR.
Prime Minister's Office, Cape Town, 10th September, 1909. Ministers have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of His Excellency the Governor's minute, No. 539, dated 10th ultimo, enclosing copy of despatch, No. 212, from the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, dated 24th July, 1909, and enclosures thereto, having reference to a scheme of entomological research for the British Colonies and Protectorates in West and East Africa.
In reply, Ministers beg to forward copy of a report by the Government entomologist on this subject, and to say that this Government will be pleased to co-operate to the best of their ability in any scheme which the Imperial Government may consider it advisable to adopt.
N. F. DE WAAL.
Office of the Government Entomologist, Cape Town, 21st August, 1909.
Entomological Research: Imperial Scheme.
THE UNDER-SEcretary,
WHEN the organisation is complete it is probable that we will be requested to help in some way, and I do not think that we should send any publications or specimens at the present stage.
It is, however, possible that an expression of opinion on the general scheme would be acceptable to the Colonial Office. From my perusal of the several docu- ments, I am led to assume that the fundamental object in view is the advancement of knowledge in regard to the occurrence, distribution, and economic relations of pestiferous insects throughout Africa, and that it is hoped to achieve this through the enrichment of British collections and by publication of pertinent matter.
It is proposed to establish a bureau in England which will receive and classify material and submit it to authorities for determination when this step appears necessary, and which will publish results. In order to procure material "freely from the British possessions in Western and Eastern Africa, it is proposed to have two travelling naturalists visit these regions to collect and forward material them- selves and to encourage others to do likewise; and to obtain material and informa- tion from other British possessions in Africa, it is proposed to secure the co-opera- tion of entomologists there resident.
I have the fullest sympathy with the general idea and think all of the several professional economic entomologists in South Africa would similarly approve of it. However, I think that the collectors to be sent to the Colonies in the middle of Africa cannot be expected to accomplish much on the second and third lines mentioned by Mr. Shipley in his memorandum of January 18th; they will have done all that can be reasonably expected of them, in my opinion, if in the five years they
• No. 17.
99756
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