249
133
18507
No. 103.
COLONIAL OFFICE to THE BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA COMPANY.
[Answered by Nos. 123 and 132.]
Downing Street, 14th May, 1920. SIR,
I AM directed by Lord Milner to refer to your letter of the 18th July, 1819,* and subsequent correspondence, on the subject of the control of tsetse fly in Africa. 2. As your Directors are aware, Mr. (now Viscount) Harcourt, when Secre- tary of State for the Colonies, appointed a Committee, over which the Earl of Desart presided, to inquire into this matter, and the Committee presented a valuable report, copies of which were sent to you. Unfortunately the outbreak of war pre- vented action being taken on this report. But now that the War is over it is felt that every effort should be made to acquire all the information possible, and to put into force practical measures based on that information for the control of the fly, having regard both to the danger from the fly to human and animal life and to the fact that the presence of the fly locks up areas of land which might otherwise be made productive.
3. Lord Milner recently approached the Managing Committee of the Imperial Bureau of Entomology on the subject; and the Committee have now accepted the report of a Sub-Committee which was instructed to draft proposals. Copies of this report are enclosed.
4. His Lordship is entirely in accord with the action recommended, and he welcomes the suggestion that the Bureau should co-ordinate, and in general organize, the investigations. But before any action can be taken, the question of funds must be considered. An approximate estimate to cover salaries, equipment, travelling expenses, etc., shows that a sum of £50,000 should be raised, on the assumption that work will be carried on in six experimental areas over a period of five years. The question of personnel presents difficulties, as the number of fully-trained entomolo- gists is extremely limited. It is understood that there would be little prospect of obtaining good men for the work unless men who have actually gained experience in Africa can be detailed; but the Director of the Bureau thinks that it may be possible to obtain junior men who are not fully-trained entomologists, to be employed in the first instance as assistants to such trained men as can be found for the work.
5. Lord Milner is bringing the proposals of the Bureau to the notice of the Governments of the Union of South Africa and of the Tropical African Colonies and Protectorates, and he is inquiring whether they are prepared to support the scheme of investigation proposed, and, if so, to what extent they would be able to contribute towards the cost, and whether they would be in a position to detail a suitable officer with the requisite training and knowledge for work under the scheme.
6. As regards financial support. His Lordship has urged the importance of the matter, and he has pointed out that the money expended upon these investiga- tions should not be wasted, while it is probable that the results obtained may lead to lasting benefits in the combating of human trypanosomiasis, the preservation of stock, and the opening up of new areas to cultivation.
7. Lord Milner has no doubt that your Directors will wish to support the scheme; and he will be glad to learn in that case how far they would be able to contribute towards the cost, and whether they could assist by lending the services of any of their officials to carry out investigations on the lines suggested in Rhodesia.
I have, &c.,
H. J. READ.
* No. 94.
+ [Cd. 7849.]
‡ No. 101.
13607
No. 104.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNORS, ETC., of WEST AND EAST AFRICAN COLONIES.
SIB,
[Answered by Nos. 110, 112, 113, 115, 116, 117, 119, 120, and 126.]
(Nigeria.
(Gold Coast.
(Sierra Leone.
(Gambia.
(East Africa Protectorate.
(Uganda.
(Zanzibar.
(Tanganyika.
(Nyasaland.
Miscellaneous.)
Downing Street, 14th May, 1920. I HAVE the honour to inform you that I have had under consideration the question of extended investigations in Africa in connexion with tsetse fly, with a view to the introduction of practical measures for the control of the fly.
2. As you are aware, Mr. (now Viscount) Harcourt, when Secretary of State for the Colonies, appointed a Committee over which the Earl of Desart presided, to inquire into this matter, and the Committee presented a valuable report,* copies of which were circulated to the Administrations of the Tropical African Colonies and Unfortunately the outbreak Protectorates and to other Administrations interested.
of war prevented action being taken on that report. But now that the War is over I feel that every effort should be made to acquire all the information possible, and to put into force practical measures based on that information for the control of the fly, having regard both to the danger from the fly to human and animal life and to the fact that the presence of the fly locks up areas of land which might otherwise be made productive.
3. I recently approached the Managing Committee of the Imperial Bureau of Entomology on the subject; and the Committee have now accepted the report of a Sub-Committee which was instructed to draft proposals. Copies of this report are enclosed.t
4. I am entirely in accord with the action recommended; and I welcome the suggestion that the Bureau should co-ordinate, and in general organize, the inves- tigations. But before any action can be taken the question of funds must be considered. An approximate estimate to cover salaries, equipment, travelling expenses, etc.. shows that a sum of £50,000 should be raised, on the assumption that work will be carried on in six experimental areas over a period of five years. The question of personnel also presents difficulties, as the number of fully-trained entomologists is extremely limited. I am advised that there would be little prospect of obtaining good men for the work, unless men actually in the service of the Colonial and Protectorate Governments in Tropical Africa can be detailed; but I understand that it might be possible to obtain junior men, who are not fully-trained entomolo- gists, to be employed in the first instance as assistants to such trained men as can be found for the work.
5. I have to request that you will [To all except Tanganyika: bring these proposals to the notice of your Government] [To Tanganyika only: consider these proposals at an early date, and then inform me whether [they] [you] are pre- pared to support such a scheme of investigation. I have no doubt that [they] [you] will be ready to do this, in which case I should be glad to learn to what extent [they] [you] would be able to [contribute] [To Tanganyika only: make pro- vision] towards the cost and whether [they] [you] would be in a position to detail a suitable officer with the requisite training and knowledge for work under the scheme. As regards financial support, I hesitate to suggest specific sums; but I would urge upon you the importance of the matter; and I would remind you that money expended upon these investigations should not be wasted, while it is probable that the results obtained may lead to lasting benefits in the combating of human trypanosomiasis, the preservation of stock, and the opening up of new areas to cultivation.
* [Cd. 7849.].
+ No. 101.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
c.o.
Reference :-
885/25
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- | COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO