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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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9PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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5. I trust that nothing will occur to prevent the giving of the proposed lectures by Dr. Harvey during the coming session of Saturday classes for teachers, and I will use my best endeavours to promote the objects recommended in the despatch* under reference.

33414

I have, &c.,

R. M. STEWART,

Lieutenant-General,

Governor, and Commander-in-Chief.

No. 27.

CYPRUS.

HIGH COMMISSIONER SIR C. A. KING-HARMAN to THE EARL OF ELGIN. (Received September 10, 1906.)

(No. 179.) MY LORD,

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Lordship's general despatch, of the 4th instant,† drawing my attention. to Mr. Lyttelton's circular despatch of the 28th August, 1905,* on the subject of the teaching of the rudiments of hygiene in the schools of the tropical Colonies.

Government House, Troodos, August 28, 1906.

2. I regret to state that it has not yet been found possible to establish a regular system of hygienic teaching in the elementary schools of this Island. The matter is in the hands of Dr. Heidenstam, the Chief Medical Officer, and I have every hope that he will be able to come to some arrangement with the local school authorities for the adoption of a definite course of instruction in this important subject. Dr. Heidenstam is now on leave in Germany, undergoing special treatment necessitated by serious illness, and on his return to Cyprus I shall ascertain what action he is contemplating in order to give effect to Mr. Lyttelton's circular.

I have, &c.,

C. A. KING-HARMAN.

33520

No. 28. BAHAMAS.

GOVERNOR SIR W. GREY-WILSON to THE EARL OF ELGIN. (Received September 10, 1006.)

(No. 98.) MY LORD,

Government House, Nassau, August 29, 1906.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, General, of the 4th of August,† reminding me that Mr. Lyttelton's circular despatch of the 26th of August, 1905,* relating to the teaching of hygiene in schools, is unanswered.

2. Shortly before the receipt of Mr. Lyttelton's circular despatch, preparatory ateps were taken to give effect to the provisions of 4 and 5 Ed. VII., cap. 15, which prescribes the teaching of the rudiments of the principles of temperance and hygiene in all the public schools of the Colony.

3. Application was made to a large number of the Colonies that had already commenced to give elementary instruction in physiology and public health, and a very useful collection of literature on the subject has been collected.

4. As soon as possible, suitable handbooks were sent for and issued, and I hope that before next January, when I submit the first report, some real progress will have been made.

5. In estimating results it must be borne in mind that parts of this Colony are more distant from Nassau, as regards the time necessary to obtain an answer to a communication, than England, and that this renders inspection and super- vision difficult, arduous, and costly. The general standard of elementary education is probably lower in the Bahamas than in any of the West Indian Colonies, because it has never been found practicable to make adequate educational provision for the

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very scattered population, or to make even the smallest attempt to promote technical education, which I regard as of the greatest value.

6. The educational vote has grown steadily, and will no doubt continue to do so, but it is hardly open to doubt that until we can develop the agricultural resources of the Colony by attracting to the land the labour which now seeks temporary employment in Mexico and Panama, we shall never be in a position to make adequate provision for the education of our widely distributed inhabitants.

7. The agricultural problem is being vigorously attacked, and enthusiasm is spreading widely.

33883

No. 29.

I have, &c.,

W. GREY-WILSON,

Governor.

SIERRA LEONE.

GOVERNOR PROBYN to THE EARL OF ELGIN.

(Received September 14, 1906.)

(No. 324.) MY LORD,

Government House, Freetown, Sierra Leone, August 29, 1906. REFERRING to your Circular despatch of the 26th of August, 1905, and, in reply to your despatch, "General," of the 4th of August, 1906, I have the honour to inform you that systematic teaching in hygiene in this Colony cannot be carried out until the receipt of copies of Dr. Prout's "Lessons in Elementary Hygiene and Sanitation": this work is being printed at home and is referred to in your despatch, No. 366, of the 18th December, 1905.

2. I enclose copy of a resolution passed by the Board of Education on the 18th of July, 1905. I was able to obtain 200 copies of Dr. J. W. Collett's. treatise on hygiene. The arrangements with respect to the necessary examination of the teachers upon the contents of Dr. Collett's book have been complicated by Dr. Prout's retirement.

Dr. Hood has been giving weekly lectures on the subject, and it is intended, if possible, that the teachers should be examined by officers of the Medical Department before the end of the year, in order that they may have an opportunity of earning the prizes granted for proficiency. In the Estimates for the current year, under Head 16 (page 37 of the printed Estimates), the sum of £179 is provided for this purpose.

3. With regard to the Protectorate, education in hygiene and sanitation occupies, as you are aware, an important position in the curriculum of the School established at Bo for the education of the sons and nominees of chiefs. You are also aware that it has been arranged that the medical officers in the Protectorate should patrol throughout their respective districts with the object of encouraging the natives to improve the sanitary arrangements of their towns. Dr. St. George Gray has prepared a speech upon model towns (see enclosure to my despatch, No. 11, of the 7th January, 1905§), and this speech has been translated into Mendi by him, and prizes have been given to the chiefs of model towns. As regards the form of presents or prizes, the chiefs have evinced a preference for a sword with a suitable inscription. The inscription selected has been, the year with the name of the chief, ending with the words “ A warrior against Disease," in Arabic, or in the Vei characters or Roman letters, according to the tribe.

4. I am enquiring into the disposal of night soil by the system which, I under- stand, has been tested of late in Calcutta: in some respects this system resembles the cesspit arrangement which is found in some parts of the Temne country it is possible that my circular instructions above referred to will have to be amended at an early date.

I have, &c.,

L. PROBYN,

Governor.

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