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Keeping field books,

Plotting from field books,

Lettering and conventional signs, Scales,

Geometrical drawing,

Use of compass and clinometer,

Use of logarithms,

and also in the additional subjects, viz.:-

Isometric drawing,

Solution of triangles, Computation of areas.

8. In order that there might be no doubt as to the nature of the test, I myself set the questions,* copy of which is enclosed. The percentages obtained are shown in the attached detailed report by the native instructor on the working of the school.

Enclosure 3 in No. 33.

I have, &c.,

A. CLEMINSON, Acting Director of Surveys.

H. C. S.,

FROM a scholastic point of view the work of the Survey School is most satis- factory, whilst the instructor, Mr. Barnes, seems a very competent and careful teacher.

2. From a practical point of view I am not competent to decide, but from appearance I should say that this work was equally well done, the traverses and plotting of plans being very neat, and, as far as I could judge, accurate.

3. The young men attending the school seem very intelligent, but I noticed, with some regret, that two men, with teachers' certificates, had left teaching to join the school, and incidentally happen to be the best pupils.

4. Nearly four months have been spent in the field during the past year, and the instruments made use of by the pupils include the prismatic compass, rods, chains, raying rods, steel tapes, and the aneroid barometer.

5. I understand that only two pupils have been received who have not passed the 7th or an equivalent standard.

6. The amount paid to pupils (£20) during their first year's training seems to me to be excessive.

7. In fine, if the school had been under my control I should be perfectly satisfied with the results of the first year's working.

21 July, 1909.

30392

No. 34.

EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE.

E. G. ROWDEN.

THE ACTING GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

(Received 13 September, 1909.)

(No. 478.) MY LORD,

Governor's Office, Nairobi, August 17th, 1909. WITH reference to your Lordship's despatch, No. 386, of July 13th,† I have the honour to report that I concur generally in the scheme suggested for the appointment of candidates for junior survey posts in the Crown Colonies and Protectorates.

2. I presume that this scheme does not, however, preclude the appointment of older men if they have thoroughly good qualifications already.

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3. I have the honour to transmit herewith, for your Lordship's consideration,

a memorandum by the Deputy Director of Surveys.

Enclosure in No. 34.

MEMORANDUM.

I have, &c.,

F. J. JACKSON.

The proposal made in regard to selection of candidates for Junior Staff Surveyorships by the Secretary of State for the Colonies is a good one. I am in accord with the suggestions, but preference should be given to men who have some experience in survey work; candidates should also be qualified to work out traverse computations in addition to the other mathematical tests, and compute areas by well-known methods, viz., by co-ordinates. A special feature in the training should be plane tabling-so few men are trained sufficiently in this.

I wish to point out, also, that untrained men are a constant source of trouble in a country like this. Young and inexperienced men often take upon themselves the position of adjudicator in cases of redefining lost or missing boundary marks, being ignorant of the fact that a surveyor at best is only an expert witness. In order to use an inexperienced staff to best advantage there should be sufficient superintending surveyors, men with experience in all classes of work, such as our district surveyors should be. I am in favour of, say, four or five district surveyors and one grade only of staff surveyors, but on an incremental scale, no distinction being made between senior and junior men excepting in pay. I also advocate examination of the men after three years' service, and a diploma given corres- ponding to the licence in the self-governing colonies; by so doing opportunity will be given for surveyors to prove themselves capable or incapable, as the case may be. The examination to be on identical subjects in each of the Crown Colonies, and a failure to pass such test a reason for cancelling the engagement; arrangements should also be made by the Colonial Office so that men who have received the Colonial Office diploma may be afforded the same advantages in the self-governing colonies as the surveyors (licensed) enjoy, viz., that in order to qualify for a licence in any one of the Australasian Colonies, the Cape, or Canada, a surveyor from one of the Crown Colonies would merely have to serve as an assistant surveyor in any one of the colonies for some 12 months, when he would be granted a licence without a further qualifying examination. My reason for recommending this course is that, supposing survey work should be completed in any one of the Crown Colonies and the Colonial Office were not in a position to offer further employment, such men would be in a position to go to one of the self-governing colonies with a prospect of obtaining further employment, otherwise such men would either drift into other employment, or, if they went to one of the above-mentioned colonies, would be compelled to make the best terms they could with licensed surveyors and be com- pelled to serve a three years' term as pupil and then go up for examination; this would be a hardship on a man who had already served three or more years.

Men trained in the way indicated would be distinctly useful anywhere, and would have a professional status which a diploma only can give, and take a pride in doing the work entrusted to them with accuracy and despatch.

All men in our Department not holding a diploma should also be examined and granted a diploma-the examination to be more or less on the same lines as those indicated by the Surveyor-General, Federated Malay States, with an addi- tional subject, viz., Practical Surveying: as insisted upon in all the Australasian Colonies, the Cape, and Canada; and I feel sure that by so doing we shall be sure of obtaining the best class of men, who have profited by the training given to them.

A. E. TOWNSEND,

Deputy Director,

Cadastral Branch.

Nairobi,

August 13th, 1909.

• Not printed.

† No. 30.

26548

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

ETC.O. 885

20 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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