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141
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
42416
No. 113. GOLD COAST.
THE ACTING GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(No. 685.)
MY LORD,
(Received 26th August, 1920.)
Government House, Accra, 27th July, 1920.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Lordship's Miscel- laneous despatch of the 14th May, on the subject of extended investigations in Africa in connexion with tsetse fly, with a view to the introduction of practical measures for the control of these dangerous insects.
2.
The Executive Council, whom I have consulted, are unanimously in favour of supporting the scheme, and advise that the Government of the Gold Coast should make an annual grant of £2,000 towards the expenses which would be incurred by the Imperial Bureau of Entomology in connexion with this special branch of their activities. I entirely concur in this advice, and I have no doubt that the Legislative Council would willingly vote the grant.
3. With regard to Your Lordship's inquiry whether this Government would be in a position to detail a suitable officer with the requisite training and know- ledge for work under the scheme, the late Principal Medical Officer, Dr. Pickels,
wrote:-
"I quite realize the importance of this work and should like to assist in every way possible, but until the staff becomes greater I do not see how a man can be spared. Dr. Corson, who is at present on leave, would be suitable to detail for the work, and he might be approached at home on the subject, but someone would be required to replace him."
The italics are mine. I need hardly remind Your Lordship of the embarrassing shortage of Medical Staff which already exists, apart from the desirability of largely strengthening the establishment of the Department.
4. With reference to paragraph 6 of Your Lordship's despatch, relative to a suggestion that the unexpended portion of the sum voted by West African Govern- ments for yellow fever investigation might be diverted for the proposed tsetse fly investigation, I agree with the Executive Council that any such balance should be retained for further investigations into yellow fever, as it cannot be held that our knowledge of that disease is yet complete
5. I am sending a copy of this despatch to the Governor.
46233
No. 115. GAMBIA.
THE ACTING GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(No. 166.) MY LORD,
(Received 17th September, 1920.)
Government House, Bathurst, Gambia, 20th August, 1920.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch,Miscellaneous, of the 14th May last,* on the subject of extended investigations in connexion with the tsetse fly.
2. This Government welcomes the proposal, and will gladly contribute to the cost of the investigations. The Executive Council has recommended that a sum of £150 per annum be voted for this purpose. I trust that this will be considered as an adequate proportion to be paid by the Gambia.
3. I venture to suggest, for Your Lordship's consideration, that the attention of the Glossina Sub-committee might be drawn to the advisability of setting up It appears that it of the initial experimental stations in the Gambia River. possesses many advantages as a centre for investigations. There are numerous fly- belts where the experiments and observations proposed by the Sub-committee can be carried out at all seasons of the year. The population is sufficiently dense to ensure, under the orders of the Travelling Commissioners, cleared localities being kept clear, and there is no reason to apprehend any enforced relaxation of the efforts of those who are responsible for carrying out the work. There is the further advantage of a Government station and a hospital in the centre of the Protectorate which would presumably be of use. The Colony is also more accessible than the stations suggested, and the staff would be in close touch with headquarters.
4. A map showing the distribution of the tsetse fly in the Gambia, in 1910, was forwarded under cover of Sir George Denton's despatch No. 70 of the 6th April, 1910. I transmit under separate cover a map‡ prepared by Dr. Mayer, in 1913, showing the result of investigations to that time. That officer states that it is estimated that eight per thousand of the population are affected by the trypano- some disease. Cattle and horses are also affected in large numbers.
5. I regret that the smallness of the staff here renders it impossible to detail an officer for work under the scheme. This Government would, however, readily give further financial support if a central station were established in the Colony.
I have, &c.,
I have, &c.,
A. R. SLATER,
Acting Governor.
47525
H. HENNIKER-HEATON. Acting Governor and Commander-in-Chief.
C.O.
885/25
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
43565
No. 114.
GOLD COAST.
GENERAL GUGGISBERG to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received 2nd September, 1920.)
Gold Coast Office, 12, Dean's Yard, Westminster,
1st September, 1920. SIR,
WITH reference to paragraph 3 of Mr. Slater's despatch, Gold Coast No. 685, dated 27th July, 1920,† I have the honour to draw your attention to paragraph 3 of my letter dated 3rd August, 1920,‡ addressed to the Secretary of State, in which I agree with the request made by the Principal Medical Officer for the appointment of one Research Officer, 8 Pathologists, and 4 Assistant Pathologists. This would appear to meet Mr. Slater's requirements.
I have, &c.,
F. G. GUGGISBERG, Governor and Commander-in-Chief, Gold Coast Colony.
* No. 104.
t No. 113.
88475: not printed.
No. 116. NIGERIA.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 25th September, 1920.)
(No. 680.)
MY LORD,
last.*
[Answered by No. 141.]
Government House, Nigeria, 9th August, 1920. WITH reference to Your Lordship's Miscellaneous despatch of the 14th May on the subject of the proposal to extend investigations in connexion with tsetse fly with the object of introducing practical measures for their control, I have the honour to confirm the following telegram which I asked my Deputy at Lagos to forward to Your Lordship on the 9th August, the papers having reached me while travelling up the Cross River :---
Reference to your Miscellaneous despatch of 14th May, Nigerian Government favour suggested investigation and willing to contribute such proportion of expenditure as you may determine. Director of Medical and Sanitary Service suggests Dr. W. B. Johnson, of Nigeria, and Dr. W. A.
Nigeria. Despatch following." Young, of Sierra Leone, as investigators
* No. 104.
+ No. 23 in Miscellaneous No. 254.
Not reproduced.