531
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
C.O.
Reference :-
885/25
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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an integral part of the British Empire. At present all our law and administra- tion is based on an elaborate legal fiction, and anomalies exist which produce an unnecessary amount of friction in the machinery of Government, and leave important questions (e.g., Crown title to land) in a most undesirable state of uncertainty.
V. Other points.-The above strike me as being the most important local With them may peculiarities requiring attention from an economic point of view. be grouped the question of the improvement of our judicial and police administra- tion, which I regard as having an important bearing on economie-development. I think the teaching of history is that sound institutions for the protection of life, property, etc., and the able and conscientious administration of these institutions are essential to the stable development of a country.
Other measures would be part of an Imperial scheme. Personally I am a strong believer in free trade within the Empire and protection against all outsiders, and I should like to see all customs duties within the Empire abolished.
In the case
of Nyasaland, which competes with the United States of America in cotton and tobacco, such measures would prove profitable, in the first place, to Nyasaland, and in the second place to the Empire, by developing its resources.
WALLIS
I hope these brief notes may be of assistance in raising one or two points for consideration.
23rd April, 1917.
R. W. LYALL GRANT,
Acting Attorney-General.
Enclosure 5 in No. 41.
Or the exportable products of the Protectorate the chief are cotton, tobacco, and tea, and for the past five years may be tabulated as follows:-
1912-13.
1913-14.
1914-15.
1915-16.
1910-17.
Approximate Figures.
Cotton Tobacco Tea
...tona
Ib.
1,445 1,010 67,726
1,072
1,182
1,680 116,074
1,477
166,248
1,388 1,655 288,341
1,408
2,009 392,957
In 1912-13, of 3,136 tons of all produce of the Protectorate exported, 100 tons was forwarded to Germany, or 3.18 per cent., 74 tons of which being cotton. In 1913-14, 3,620 tons were exported, of which 354 tons went to Germany, or 9.7 per cent., and included in this latter figure a little over 9 tons represented cotton and 8 tons tobacco.
To encourage these industries after the War Great Britain may allow such products from Nyasaland to enter British ports duty free. On the other hand Nyasaland requires principally goods classified under the heads of food, drink, and tobacco, and manufactured articles, including textiles, to be imported for her own consumption. Whether it be found advisable to raise the present tariff or not, all imports from Great Britain, her Colonies, or Allied countries should bear some distinguishing mark to guard against foreign (enemy) products, which latter should be taxed double, or even treble, the existing duties.
The following table gives the value of goods (excluding specie) imported into Nyasaland during the past five years:→
Food, Drink, and Tobacco Manufactured Articles Miscellaneous and Raw Materials
1916-17.
1912-13. 1913-14. 1914-15. 1915-16.
£31,616 £28,031 £22,936 £42,001 233,939 148,958 139,809 163,828
7,334 81,302 $9,299
Approximate Figures.
£43,636
245,168
42,983
40,569
272,889 208,201
201,346
248,812
329,373
In 1912-13 goods chiefly textiles, to the value of £35,244 were imported from Germany, German East Africa, and Austria; in 1913-14 £19,095, and in 1914-15 £9,604, from these countries. The prosperity of Nyasaland after the War rests, in the first place, on the facilities given in obtaining quick and cheap transport of
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her raw products to the coast or to a market, and secondly, in being able to import her requirements necessary for home consumption at a reasonable price. To obtain this rail communication from the Lake to Beira is absolutely of the first importance, but unless financial help is forthcoming, either from the Imperial Government to build such a line, or inducement given to a company to carry out the completion of the existing railway between the two points named, the local Government would not, under existing circumstances, be able to find the necessary funds to build the railway which is wanted.
21st March, 1917.
Enclosure 6 in No. 41.
#4
R. H. SALMON.
RESPECT OF THE
OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
MEMORANDUM AS TO THE LEGISLATION PASSED IN NYASALAND IN
MATTERS DISCUSSED UNDER TITLE ECONOMIC CONFERENCE OF THE ALLIES."
I.
A-1. Trading with inhabitants of enemy countries, whatever their nationality. Has been prohibited by :---
(a) Proclamation No. 13 of 1914 in which (inter alia) the expression “ enemy”
is defined.
(b) Trading with the Enemy Ordinance, 1915 (repealing and replacing
Ordinance No. 10 of 1914).
(c) Trading with the Enemy (Amendment) Ordinance, 1916, No. 2.
The first of these ordinances (1915) makes trading with the enemy a hisde- meanour. The amending ordinance, No. 2 of 1918 (in addition to provision for appointment of Custodian), renders the first ordinance more effective.
2. No direct legislation.
3
Framed under the Trading with the Enemy (Amendment) Ordinance, 1916, Proclamation No. 18 of 1918 thereunder (revoking former proclamations) prohibits trading with any of the persons mentioned in the "Statutory List annexed to the said proclamation, which Statutory List is varied from time to time, and Proclamations Nos. 1 and 3 of 1917 bring it up to date.
B. This is covered by Proclamation No. 13 of 1914, and generally the "Trading with the Enemy" Ordinances. Proclamation No. 21 of 1914 prohibits the importation of sugar from enemy territory.
Notice No. 51 of 1915 applies the system of certificates of origin (or declara- tion of ultimate destination), as set out in the notice, to importers (and exporters), published in Gazette of 27th February, 1915. Notice No. 30 of 1915. Notice
No. 215 of 1916 makes provision as from 1st October, 1916, for special certificates of origin and interest in the case of imports from the countries specified in this notice.
C-No direct legislation, but section 4 of new Bill published in Gazette Extraordinary of the 15th February, 1917, provides (inter alia) for unconditional cancellation of contracts with enemy subjects.
II.
Under section 4 of the Trading with the Enemy Ordinance, 1915 (as extended by section 12 of Ordinance No. 12 of 1916), the business of enemy subjects may be placed under control. The new Bill above referred to contains sweeping pro- visions for winding up the undertakings of enemy subjects.
1. This is done by consolidating Proclamation No. 2 of 1917 (Customs Ordinance, 1906), prohibiting the exportation of goods the lists of which are framed and amended on lists received from the Secretary of State from time to time.
2. The provisions for special permits for exports implies that such permits will not be issued except in proper cases.
Questions as to imports and exports are within the province of the Comptroller of Customs.
W. H. MCCULLOUGH,
Custodian of Enomy Property,
Blantyre,
13th March, 1917.
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