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the honour to transmit here with two copies of a pamphlet* entitled "How to keep healthy," which has been drawn up by the Government Medical Officer at Grand Turk to be taught in the Government Schools of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Commissioner proposes to distribute copies among the people of the Dependency, in accordance with the suggestion made in the last paragraph of your despatch, No. 394, of the 16th November last.†

15110

13936

I have, &c.,

(No. 185.)

J. A. SWETTENHAM,

MY LORD,

Governor.

No. 19.

BRITISH NEW GUINEA.

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No. 20.

CEYLON.

GOVERNOR SIR H. A. BLAKE to THE EARL OF ELGIN.

(Received April 30, 1906.)

The Queen's House, Colombo, Ceylon, April 9, 1906. WITH reference to my despatch, No. 462, of the 8th November last,* to the address of Mr. Secretary Lyttelton, on the subject of the teaching of the rudiments of hygiene in the schools of the Tropical Colonies, I have the honour to inform you that the Director of Public Instruction, who was asked to furnish a brief report for the year 1905, states that the action taken during that year in developing sanitary instruction was described in his letter of 18th October, a copy of which was forwarded with the above despatch, and that he has nothing further to add, except that a sum of Rs. 1,000 was voted for the current year for a similar course of lectures, which will be delivered after consultation with the Registrar of the Medical College. The number of teachers who obtained certificates on last year's course was 27.

I have, &c.,

1

MY LORD,

ADMINISTRATOR BARTON to THE EARL OF ELGIN.

(Received April 21, 1906.)

Government House, British New Guinea, February 28, 1906. WITH reference to the subject of Mr. Lyttelton's despatch, No. 7, of 25th August last, to His Excellency Lord Northcote (a copy of which, with enclosures was sent to me from Melbourne) and in compliance with the instructions contained in the last paragraph of Colonial Office circular despatch of 26th August last,§I have the honour to inform you that owing to the backward condition of education among the natives of this Dependency, it is not yet possible to do more than teach them the most rudimentary outlines of hygiene. It is a most difficult-if not impossible -undertaking to induce a native to believe that disease and healing are caused otherwise than by the malefic enchantments of sorcerers. This deeply ingrained superstition is the greatest obstacle that both the Government and Missionaries have to contend with in educating the natives. The surest way, probably, of eradicating this obstinate belief is by treating as many sick natives as possible in hospitals under skilled supervision. There are at present three native hospitals in the Possession, and the returns from these institutions show that they are gaining popularity. But it may well be doubted whether a native who has been discharged after undergoing successful treatment goes away with his belief in sorcery much modified; the impres- sion left on his mind is probably that the white doctor's enchantments which healed him were more potent than those of the sorcerer who bewitched him. It will, at any rate, not have escaped his notice that endless importance is laid upon cleanliness in a hospital, and he may, therefore, in a dim way come to associate cleanliness with good health. With such slight progress it appears the Administration must, for the present, remain contented.

Another means taken to educate the native in this respect is by means of the "Native Board Regulations." Three of these bear directly upon the subject, viz.: (1) Burials regulation; (2) Contagious diseases; (3) Cleanliness of villages; and I herewith enclose copies of them. The Native Board Regulations are all translated into the best known native dialect.

I am about to send to the Bishop of New Guinea (who has recently returned to the Possession) copies of the two sets of lectures which have been delivered at Lagos with a suggestion that they should be utilized in educating the European and half-caste children at the small school at Samarai, which is conducted by the Anglican Mission.

• Not reprinted. † 37152: not printed.

I have, &c.,

F. R. BARTON,

Administrator.

3843 not printed. § No. 4.

15171

No. 21.

HENRY A. BLAKE,

Governor, &c.

WINDWARD ISLANDS: (ST. LUCIA).

GOVERNOR SIR R. B. LLEWELYN to THE EARL OF ELGIN.

(No. 30.)

(Received April 30, 1906:) [Answered by No. 22.]

Grenada, March 31, 1906.

Forwarded. I am glad to see that the Administrator is taking an interest in the subject of teaching hygiene in elementary schools, and I hope he will succeed in St. Lucia.

R. B. LLEWELYN,

Enclosure in No. 21.

(Saint Lucia. No. 38.)

SIR,

Governor.

Government House, March 20, 1906.

WITH reference to the Secretary of State's circular of the 26th August last on the subject of the teaching of hygiene in schools, I have the honour to transmit copy of the correspondence which has taken place as shown on the annexed schedule. 2. It will be observed that the Inspector of Schools is willing to give every assistance in his power and that the medical officers, though not so enthusiastic, are,

on the whole, prepared to fall in with the scheme proposed for giving instruction.

3. Broadly, the idea I have tried to get accepted is that the instruction should be made interesting and easy by being assisted by demonstrations with lantern views, and that these demonstrations should not be confined only to hygiene, but should be extended to agricultural and other teaching on appropriate subjects. In this way not only would better results attend the immediate object in view, but I believe that school work would, in great measure, become more interesting and beneficial, and the minds of the scholars would acquire a better grasp of the subjects 'demonstrated.

• No. 8.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.0.885

9 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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