CO885-(21-23) — Page 435

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

22 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

40684

22

No. 7.

MINUTES OF MEETING OF COLONIAL SURVEY COMMITTEE,

PRESENT:

OCTOBER 6TH, 1913.

Mr. READ;

Colonel CLOSE;

Colonel HEDLEY; and

Mr. BOTTOMLEY

Captain Cox

Secretaries.

1. Survey of Sierra Leone.

Mr. Ellis was present during the discussion of this subject. Colonel Hedley explained that the suggestion which had been made that the survey should be post- poned until the Colonial Survey Section could undertake it on the conclusion of their work in the Malay States could not be adopted, as it was desired to employ the Section in South Africa when it was available. It was decided to recommend that the alternative proposed by the Governor should be adopted, i.e., that a party of Royal Engineers should be sent out at once, consisting of a captain, a subaltern, and two non-commissioned officers, who would undertake first the six-inch survey of the peninsula of Freetown, a scheme for the survey of the Protectorate being drawn up in the meantime for execution subsequently. In the event of a subaltern of the Royal Engineers not being available, his place would be taken by a suitably qualified officer of some other regiment. The survey of the Peninsula might be expected to occupy a year, that of the Protectorate at least three or six years, according as a quarter-inch or half-inch scale was adopted. The cost of the party, which would come home during the rainy season, would not exceed £3,000 a year.

2. Annual Report.

The proof of the report was considered in detail and various alterations were made. It was agreed that any comments on the work which were of a critical character should not be published, but should be submitted to the Secretary of State with the report with a view to their being communicated to the Colonies con- cerned.

3. Survey Probationer Memorandum.*

A revise of the new edition of the memorandum was examined, and several alterations intended to give fuller information to candidates were adopted. A draft of a letter which it was proposed to send to the various universities in order that the sources of supply of candidates might be extended was read, and, subject to modi- fications, agreed to. The Committee recommended that the mathematical examina- tion should in future be in the hands of the Joint Secretaries, the arrangements as to the place of examination and the practical examination to be left unaltered.

4. Reconnaissance Survey of British Honduras.

A despatch from the new Governor was read in which he proposed to postpone the survey owing to the demand for expenditure on other services and the probability that the work would be more expensive than had been contemplated. The survey was required to meet a probable expansion in the development of the Colony, and this expansion could not take place in the present state of the labour market.

5. Directorship of Surveys, East Africa Protectorate.

A despatch from the Acting Governor was read recommending that on the departure of Captain Williams, the Deputy Director, Captain Coode should also be allowed to return home, before the expiration of his service, as he did not wish to take over the duties of Director pending the arrival of Captain Williams's successor. It was suggested that the new Director should arrive in the Protectorate in time to take over from Captain Williams, but it was pointed out that this would involve the issue of overlapping pay up to the end of Captain Williams's leave of absence. The Committee accordingly recommended that Captain Coode should be required to remain in charge of the Department until the new Director arrived at the end of Captain Williams's leave. (An alternative proposal has since been made by Colonel Hedley.)

• Miscellaneous No. 225.

23

6. Unofficial training of Survey Candidates.

A letter from Mr. P. D. Warren, C.M.G., ex-Surveyor-General of Ceylon, was considered, in which he stated that he proposed to start a training class for young surveyors, and asked for the views of the Committee on the extent to which the proposal could be fitted in with the training of surveyors for Colonial Survey Depart- ments. It was decided that he should be informed that no recognition could be given to his undertaking.

44791

No. 8.

NORTHERN NIGERIA.

MEMORANDUM AS TO THE NORTHERN NIGERIAN SURVEY

DEPARTMENT.

Prior to 1910 there was no separate Survey Department in Northern Nigeria. Attached to the Governor's office was an Intelligence Officer on £400-£500 and a native cartographer on £150-£180; and in 1908, what was called the Special Map Compilation Staff was started, consisting of a corporal Royal Engineers and a native draughtsman. To this staff was attached a West African Frontier Force officer, for whom a duty pay was provided. All the above were in close touch with the Intelligence Division of the War Office, and to a great extent were engaged in work for that Department, by whom the topographical maps of the Protectorate and the military reports had been prepared.

"

In 1909 *it was decided to separate the survey work and the military intelligence work, and in the 1911-12 Estimate the latter was put under the West African Frontier Force and a "Land and Survey Department established, consisting of Captain Kempthorne as Land Officer and Chief Surveyor on £500-£600 + duty allowance £100, a corporal Royal Engineers as cartographer, a native cartographer, a native draughtsman, and four native apprentices. In addition, as mining appli- cations were coming in, two additional Royal Engineers non-commissioned officers were sent out towards the end of 1910 to make a topographical survey of the mining area. They were placed under the Survey Department but paid from a vote of £1,500 for survey of mining area under the head" Mines Department.'

In 1911 Captain Kempthorne was File 1356/17, No. 802, 2 October, 1911.

transferred to East Africa and Sir H. Bell recommended the appointment of Mr. Collard in his place as Land Officer and Chief Surveyor. After reference to the military members of the Colonial Surveys Com- mittee, this was approved. Mr. Collard was given the maximum salary of the post, £600 (he had previously been serving in Nigeria in a temporary capacity as executive engineer on railway construction on £650). The appointment was to be for three years only, and on condition that in the event of a reorganisation of staff (the amalgama- tion of Northern and Southern Nigeria was specially contemplated) he might later on cease to have the title and position of Chief Surveyor so long as his salary was not affected.

Secretary of State, No. 30, 15 January, 1912 (1356 File).

What we said was "terms similar to those specified in connection with Dr. Fagan's ap- pointment," which were "on the understandt- ing that in the event of the reorganisation of the medical staff in Nigeria he may at some future date cease to have title of Principal Medical Officer, although salary and pension rights would not be affected." (25356/11 W.A.)

Such terms could not apply abso- lutely to Mr. Collard, as he was and still is a temporary and non - pensionable officer, A. J. H.

In 1912 Mr. Waters (previously a rail- way construction engineer) was added to the Survey Department as Surveyor on £400-£20-£500 (October, 1912), and two more non-commissioned officers of Royal Engineers were sent out for the survey of the mining survey-primarily to relieve the two already engaged on that work.

In 1912 the confusion which the absence of proper detailed maps of the mining area had caused at a time when applications for exclusive prospecting licences and mining leases were pouring in had become so pronounced that the Officer Adminis tering the Government got Major Guggisberg up from Southern Nigeria and asked him to submit proposals for coping with the position. As a result the War Office were asked in September, 1912, to lend to Northern Nigeria, for a year, two officers and eleven non-commissioned officers of Royal Engineers, which they did. addition, Mr. Bennett, formerly employed as a leveller on the Baro-Kano Railway,

• 29186/1909: not printed.

In