NJ
5. Minefields Surrey.-The Governor-General does not apparently realise that some members of No. 1 party have already been re-engaged, and that No. 2 party was engaged for two years. Here, again, as for other cadastral work, the Committee strongly advocate a policy of being well up to date, and they deprecate the postpone- ment of work which it is certain must be done in the end. Survey records are full of instances of great loss and inconvenience from such a policy of delay. It may almost be said that every Colony has incurred the certainty of ultimate trouble and expense rather than face the necessary initial expense. This used to be done through ignorance, but now the facts are well known. Here are details of what happened in East Africa. They are typical.
J
A Survey Department was created in East Africa in 1903. This was so inadequate that every kind of makeshift had to be adopted to settle people on the land.
In 1904 the staff was augmented, and outside surveyors were licensed, but, as there was no framework, work could not be checked.
Much wasteful expenditure was incurred, and there were legitimate grievances against the Government.
A Land Commission, appointed in 1905, reported as follows:-
"The absence of survey has led from one difficulty to another
In
no case is the Government able to proceed either with getting rid of arrears which have accumulated during the last two years.
As a consequence
the general development of the country has received a severe check."
The Department was strengthened and reorganised in 1906.
Since then the country has developed, but the expansion of the Survey Depart- ment has not kept pace, with the consequence that in 1913 the arrears amount to over 13 million acres.
Further expansion has now been sanctioned.
6. Major Guggisberg asks for an officer for three years, whose duties will be to superintend the Minefields Surveys and compile small-scale maps. Other duties are contained in paragraph 43 of Major Guggisberg's report. In particular, he would act for the Surveyor-General during the latter's absence on leave.
It is desirable that Captain Giles should return to Nigeria to look after the mines surveys, and the Committee are of opinion that he should receive the title of Deputy Surveyor-General. His duties would not include the revenue surveys.
7. Schools. The Committee are of opinion that the Survey Schools for both provinces should be quite distinct from the other schools. Students in the Survey Schools should, however, receive a preliminary education in the ordinary schools.
8. But the most important general principle involved in the discussion is the extent to which it is in the public interest for the Administration to deal with technical details. It would be well if the general lines of the work of the Survey were laid down, if possible, for a number of years, and if, within the limits of expenditure available, the Surveyor-General were free to administer the Depart- ment. The Board of Agriculture does not interfere with the administration of the Ordnance Survey, nor the Government of India with that of the Survey of India, nor the Government of Egypt with the administration of the Survey of Egypt.
The Surveyor-General should be told how much money to spend on each kind of survey, and where to work, and should then be left alone to carry out the work.
9. The Committee desire to express their appreciation of Major Guggisberg's work. His organisation of the Department, his technical instructions, the energy with which the work has been prosecuted, and the cartographical results are alike admirable.
10. With reference to paragraph 53 of Major Guggisberg's report, Colonel Hedley considered that the maps to be published should go through the hands of the Geographical Section, War Office, who should have the charge of all the plates, which at present were in the hands of Messrs. W. & A. K. Johnston, the publishers. The War Office have the plates of all Tropical African maps except those from the Gold Coast and Nigeria. The Committee concur.
The matter of the continued compilation of maps by Captain Beverley, the Intelligence Officer, requires investigation.
23rd June, 1914.
22259
No. 16.
MINUTES OF MEETING OF THE GEOLOGICAL SECTION OF THE COLONIAL SURVEY COMMITTEE, HELD AT THE COLONIAL OFFICE, FRIDAY, 3RD JULY, 1914.
PRESENT:
Mr. H. J. READ, C.B., C.M.G., in the Chair.
Dr. A. STRAHAN, F.R.S.
Dr. J. W. EVANS.
Mr. J. F. N. GREEN.
Mr. A. E. KITSON, Director of the Geological Survey
of the Gold Coast, was also present.
Mr. Kitson gave a report of the work done during the first tour in the Gold C'oast.
The Committee recommended that the Gold Coast Survey should publish an annual Departmental report for each calendar year, dealing chiefly with administra tive matters and a summary of the work done; and a separate series of records giving from time to time the scientific and economic results. Mr. Kitson undertook to prepare a short report for the Report of the Survey Committee.
On the question of arrangement of work, the Committee considered that, in view of the difficulty attending field-work in the rains, and of the fact that much time in this country must be devoted to working out the specimens and observations obtained, from six to seven months was the longest tour that should be attempted, the remainder of the year being spent in England.
Dr. Evans stated that he was authorised to offer to the Gold Coast Survey storage and laboratory space at the Imperial College of Science, with the use of all appli- ances for the scientific investigation of the material obtained. Mr. Kitson stated that this would be of the utmost value. The Committee recommended that this kind offer should be accepted.
Extracts from Mr. Burls's report on the oil-bearing strata in Somaliland were read to the Committee, and photographs and a plan exhibited.
Statistics with regard to the pamphlet on the collection of geological specimens were laid before the Committee, who were informed that a second edition was being printed. The question of storing specimens received was discussed, but postponed.
17933
SIR,
No. 17.
NIGERIA.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL. (Confidential.)
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Confidential despatch
Downing Street, 27th July, 1914. of the 14th of May,* with regard to the organisation of the Survey Department of Nigeria, which, together with the report by Major Guggisberg which you mention, I referred for the advice of the Colonial Surveys Committee.
2. I now enclose for your information a copy of a memorandumf embodying the views of the Committee, in which I concur.
3. I shall be glad if, after considering the memorandum, you will inform me what surveys you wish carried out, and within what periods you desire the work to be completed. The Surveyor-General can then be asked to advise how the establishment should be fixed in order to meet your wishes, so far as this may be possible with a limit of recurrent expenditure of £40,000 a year.
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33 17
• No 11.
† Sue No. 15.
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