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31

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O.885

21 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

15748

Cash in hand :-

London County and Westminster

Bank, on deposit

Crown Agents

Scientific Secretary

Outstanding liabilities:-

Salaries

Equipment for J. J. Simpson Estimated loss on Bulletin for

one quarter

Unexpended balance of Carnegie

Fund

S. A. Neave's passage to England Estimated balance in reserve ...

Payments. £ s. d.

Receipts.

£ 8. d.

2,000 0

664 19

118

6 8

45 0 0

50 0 0

1,049 0 7

40 0 0 1,364 1 3

1 9

024

£2,666 8 6 £2,666 8 6

No. 30.

QUEENSLAND.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

(Received 7.50 a.m., 22nd May, 1912.)

TELEGRAM.

[Answered by No. 70.]

Your despatch of 26th March.* Queensland will not be represented Inter- national Conference Entomology.-MACGREGOR.

16432

(No. 57.) SIR,

No. 31.

NEW ZEALAND.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

(Received May 28, 1912.)

Government House, Wellington, 25th April, 1912. WITH reference to your despatch, Miscellaneous, of the 6th September, 1911,† forwarding papers relating to a scheme for the more extended investigation of the noxious insects in different parts of the Empire, I have the honour to inform you that, after careful consideration, my Ministers have come to the conclusion that it is not desirable that New Zealand should join in the proposed scheme.

• No. 17.

I have, &c.,

ISLINGTON,

↑ No. 96 in Miscellaneous No. 231.

Governor.

No. 32.

WEST INDIES.

THE IMPERIAL COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(No. S. S. 1373.)

SIR,

(Received May 28, 1912.)

[Answered by No. 48.]

Imperial Department of Agriculture for the West Indies,

Barbados, 9th May, 1912. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of May 3rd,* asking for my recommendations with regard to West Indian co-operation with the Entomological Research Committee as the result of the Conference at Trinidad, and stating that the Governments of British Guiana and Trinidad have reported to the Colonial Office, but that both appear to await further communication from me. 2. The work under consideration appears to fall naturally into two divisions, namely, (a) agricultural in so far as it is concerned with the pests of plants and crops; and (b) medical in so far as it deals with diseases of men and animals.

3. With regard to the agricultural aspect, the larger West Indian Colonies have undertaken the study of plant pests and diseases through the agencies of their several Agricultural Departments, some of which have trained Entomologists attached to their staffs. The Imperial Department of Agriculture has also a trained Entomo- logist, whose duties include the study of the plant pests of the several islands of the

Commissioner of Agriculture, (.0. 1, August 24, 1911.

To Commissioner of Agriculture, Septem- ber 26, 1911.

Leeward and Windward group, while the Department is available for consultation by the Governments of the larger Colonies as stated in the correspondencet marginally noted.

4. So far as I am aware there is little provision in any West Indian Colony for systematic entomological study in connection with medical affairs, the question being largely left to the consideration and energy of individuals taking a personal or professional interest in this side of the work. The work done in St. Lucia by Dr. Lucien Nicholls may, however, be referred to as having direct official recognition and support.

5. The question now remains as to the manner in which the West Indian Colonies can co-operate with the Entomological Research Committee and with each other.

6. On the whole the work in connection with agriculture is being adequately dealt with by the several Governments through the Departments of Agriculture and the Imperial Department of Agriculture. The defects in the work are being steadily brought to light, and attempts made to remedy them, so far as the resources of the Colonies permit. In this the Imperial Department of Agriculture performs import- ant duties for those Colonies not in a position to maintain Entomologists, and it also forms a useful medium of exchange of information concerning plant pests generally. With all this, however, the Entomologists are constantly confronted with difficulties in that they frequently have to deal with insects hitherto unknown, or of which they possess no descriptions; it becomes necessary, therefore, for them to refer to authorities possessing the desired information, and it is here that the usefulness of the Entomological Research Committee becomes apparent.

7. From the agricultural point of view all that appears necessary is to continue and extend the work of the various Entomologists in their several Colonies, and to afford them facilities for referring, through the heads of their Agricultural Depart- ments or through the Colonial Secretaries, to the Entomological Research Committee for information in cases of difficulty. At the same time information concerning the existence, spread, and control of agricultural insect pests should be regularly furnished by the Agricultural Departments to the Entomological Research Com-

mittee.

8. This involves no alteration of existing conditions nor the creation of any organisation in the West Indies beyond what is now in existence. The Imperial

11555 not printed.

† 27846: not printed.

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