CO885-(18-19) — Page 591

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

C.O.885

19 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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in Tanganyika. This is the longest stretch of Glossina palpulis on any river except the Luapula. All the observations made last year were confirmed, and a large proportion of the population examined last year were examined again.

T IV. In place of the temporary sleeping sickness areas declared last year a permanent sleeping sickness area has now been defined which shuts off from the clean country all the known conditions necessary for the establishment of endemic foci. It has been very widely extended so as to include the extension of Glossina palpalis found on the Lofu River, and also to leave ample room for the population now being moved away from the fly. This division between infected and clean country is now very definite, and passes through six administrative stations, the officers of which will be responsible for checking and controlling communication between the infected and the clean. The division is as follows:-

"Starting on the Luapula River, at the confluence of the Luera, it follows the Luera to the point where it is crossed by the main road; thence along the main road in a northerly direction through Fort Rosebery to the Muchinga Range, forming the watershed between the Luapula and Luongo Rivers; it follows the main road through the Mbereshi Mission Station to the Manta- pala Stream; the Mantapala Stream to its source in the continuation of the same Muchinga Range; the Muchinga Range to the Kalungwisi River at Nkosya's Village, and thence along the main road through Nsama's, Jalam- imba's, Mporokoso, Abercorn, and Fife, to the border of the Nyasaland Pro-

tectorate.'

The six administration stations controlling this border are Fife, Abercorn, Katwe (to be opened) Mporokoso, Ngona, and Fort Rosebery. The regulations applying to the old sleeping sickness area are now applicable to the new area, and entrance or exit can be effected only through one of these stations, where permits will be issued subject to the conditions set forth in the regulations, and where those already in possession of permits will be required to show them. The new boundary varies in its distance from the border considerably-from a few miles to as much as 80. The reason of this is partly political and partly for practical working purposes, it being desirable to have a boundary that is definite and well known, such as a main road which can be easily patrolled if necessary, and at the same time allows of free com- munication between the stations guarding the area. Mporokoso, which is about 80 miles from any part of the border was selected as a station through which the boundary should pass on account of the tendency on the part of the Arab (Suahili) traders round Sumbu and Abdullah to still maintain communication with Mweru and the Luapula through clean country. These traders have established a chain of posts, between which produce is constantly changing hands, from Tanganyika to Mweru and the Luapula. It was thought better, therefore, to shut them all in the sleeping sickness area for if one of them were placed in clean country it would at once become an outlet for them all. East of Tanganyika the boundary practically meets the German border at the Saisi River, and runs up to it there to the Nyasaland Protectorate. There is no sleeping sickness here, and as far as we can ascertain there is none in that part of German East Africa, so that the border itself might have been taken as the boundary, but that the main road is a better one. The border between North-Eastern Rhodesia and German East Africa was closed for communi- cation by the German Administration in July last, and I took the opportunity when visiting the German Commandant at Bismarkburg to secure the co-operation of the two Administrations in keeping the border closed.

V. The experience of the past year has revealed the futility of making clear- ings with a view to ridding limited areas of Glossina palpalis in localities where this fly is thickly distributed. This conclusion has been arrived at after careful observa- tions on extensive clearings made last year, notably on the Luapula and Kalungwisi Rivers, where "flies," though not apparently in evidence, are constantly making their presence known. These clearings are the more unreliable inasmuch as they tend to establish a state of false security in respect to the communities they are supposed to protect, and, moreover, the constant growth consequent upon the action of a tropical sun on a humid soil constitutes a never-ending source of expense. The more radical policy has been adopted this year of moving the population en bloc from the fly-invested rivers and lakes. If Glossina palpalis is in any way associated with the prevalence and spread of sleeping sickness, a policy of this kind has so much to recommend it that no effort or expense on the part of the Administration should be spared until it is effectually carried out.

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The extent of the distribution of Glossina palpalis on the borders of North- Eastern Rhodesia is no less than 350 miles, and with the exception of Lake Mweru, the whole of the border is to be depopulated by the end of the year comprising the Luapula, Mansa, Kalungwisi, Lunchinda, and Lofu Rivers, and the whole of the British section of Lake Tanganyika. This work, involving the movement of some 12,000 people, is now in progress, and by December 31st next the whole of the fly- infected area in North-Eastern Rhodesia should be practically depopulated. An exception has been made in the case of some 20 villages on or near the shore on Lake Mweru on account of the difficulty of finding suitable sites for new villages away from the lake shore. With the exception of the Kalungwisi River, which is already thickly populated, there is no permanent water away from the lake shore capable of sustaining any large community until the Mweru Marsh is reached, where, for tribal reasons, it would be inadvisable to place them. Fortunately the fly on that part of the shore is thinly distributed, and in places difficult to find, and as the extensive clearings made last year round every village on the lake shore appeared on examination this year to be sufficient, it was decided not to move them. If, however, cases of sleeping sickness continue to occur in these villages, the question of moving them to some distant part of the country will have to be considered. For

a permanent admin....... the same and other reasons it has been decided to make Chiengi istrative and sleeping sickness station. It is excellently situated as a sleeping sickness station, its position overlooking a very dangerous section of the Belgian border, and its situation on the lake shore affording facilities for controlling com- munication by canoes between the Belgian and English coasts. With the removal of the station on the Kalungwisi River last year there is now no administrative station within 100 miles of Chiengi, so that the Native Commissioner will assume both administrative and sleeping sickness duties. Ample clearings were made round the station last year, and on my visit this year no Glossina palpalis could be found there though the seafch was conducted for two miles above and below the station. When at the Belgian post of Pueto I arranged with the doctor there that the Lunchinda River should be regarded as the working border between English and Belgian territories. We have moved all the villages away from this river, but the villages on the other side of the river, which we have always regarded as Belgian, are still there. I asked the Commandant at Pueto if he would move them, as there is both sleeping sickness and Glossina palpalis on the river. He said he had already tried by reading the regulations to the natives and asking them to go, but that they had refused, and he had no powers to take any further measures. Messengers are posted along this border to see that our natives do not communicate with these villages, and a few arrests made in this connection seem to have had a desirable result in so far as the natives now show no disposition to cross there, and in one case Great difficulty was at first they themselves brought in a man who had done so. experienced in persuading the natives on Lake Tanganyika to move their villages, on account of the influence of the large number of Suahili traders settled there, who held out stoutly against it. These were given the option of moving their villages or leaving the territory, which latter course they at first decided to take, but seeing that the Atawa and Alungu at once gave way they eventually threw in their lot with them, and consented to move too. The villages in the valley of the Lofu were all moved at the same time. No coercion has been used to make these people go, and no police were employed or took part in any of the work. Each chief and headman was visited, and the reasons carefully explained to him. Every cance on the lake shore was handed over without demur expressive of a desire on their part to sever for good their connection with the lake. No difficulties of any kind were experienced on the Luapula or Kalungwisi. The new sites for the villages have all been care- fully considered, and no village has been allowed to settle where there is any likeli- hood of communication being restored with the lake shore or rivers. On Tanganyika the people are for the most part lodged on the high plateau land surrounding the lake and some 2,000 feet above it. All the rivers and streams in these regions have been inspected before any villages were allowed to settle there. The Lofu Valley for about 60 miles from the lake lias also been depopulated, and the villages moved up into the hills.

VI. The rivers of the guard area have been under examination since February last this work having been done by Mr. Neave. Ile has declared the following rivers free from Glossina palpalis: the Loangwa, Chambezi, Upper Kalungwisi, Luangwa, Luenchenshi, Lukuru, Luena, Liposhoshi, Upper Lofu; also the whole

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