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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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9 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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2. I understand from Mr. Probyn that the proposals are intended to apply only to the year 1906, and that in 1907 and future years an arrangement will be adopted on the lines indicated by the resolution of the Board of Education, a copy of which was enclosed in Mr. Probyn's despatch, No. 324, of the 29th of August last.*

6977

(No. 1.)

MY LORD,

No. 48.

I have, &c.,

ELGIN.

BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA PROTECTORATE. COMMISSIONER SIR A. SHARPE to THE EARL OF ELGIN.

(Received February 23, 1907.)

Government Offices, Zomba,

British Central Africa, January 1, 1907. WITH reference to Major Pearce's despatch, No. 247, of the 14th of Sep- tember,t on the subject of the teaching of the rudiments of hygiene in schools in tropical Colonies, I have now received replies from the various Missionary Societies in British Central Africa to whom I addressed enquiries as to whether any steps were being taken by them to teach hygiene in their schools.

2. The following is a summary of the replies I have received:-

The Livingstonia Mission of the Free Church of Scotland.-The Rev. Dr. Laws states that the subject of hygiene is taken up in the schools of the Overtoun Insti- tution, not only in the case of native medical assistants (under the heading "Public Health Duties"), but also in the science classes for the more advanced pupils in the normal course.

In the ordinary district schools of this mission while no such instruction has been systematically given hitherto, some of the teachers and senior pupils have been taken in hand by the medical missionaries and instructed in simple rules of health. It is the intention of the members of this mission to institute shortly regular classes in their senior schools for the teaching of hygiene.

This mission appears to be fully alive to the benefits to be derived from systematic instruction of natives in these subjects while at school.

3. The Universities Mission.-The Bishop of Likoma tells me there is no teaching of hygiene in any of their schools, and that the opinion of the Mission is that the attempt to make this a school subject is inadvisable.

4.

The Blantyre Mission of the Free Church of Scotland. The Rev. Mr. McCulloch states that while very special attention is given in their institutions to teaching the scholars habits of personal cleanliness, no special course of instruction in hygiene has as yet been adopted. The attention of the "Senate" of this Mission has, however, he informs me, been called to the matter, and it appears probable that steps may be taken to do something in the future.

5. The Dutch Reformed Church Mission-The Rev. Mr. Hofmeyr states that hygiene is not included amongst the subjects taught.

6. The Zambezi Industrial Mission state that, while they fully realize the importance of the subject, they have not yet been in a position to commence imparting definite instruction on hygiene to natives attending their schools.

7. The Nyasa Industrial Mission state that up to the present nothing has been done in the matter, but they are fully alive to its importance and hope to take it up before long.

f

I have, &c.,

ALFRED SHARPE,

Commissioner.

• No. 29.

↑ No. 37.

*7627

(No. 48.) MY LORD,

77

No. 49.

MAURITIUS.

GOVERNOR SIR C. BOYLE to THE EARL OF ELGIN.

(Received February 28, 1907.)

Government House, Mauritius, January 21, 1907. WITH reference to Sir G. Bower's despatch, No. 355, of the 12th September last,* I have the honour to transmit, herewith, a copy of a minutet which I addressed to the Council of Government on the 10th ultimo requesting the Council to vote the sum of Rs. 1,500 required for the purchase of books and diagrams and the payment of a fee to the lecturer, in connection with the teaching of hygiene and sanitation, together with a copy of the report of the Finance Committee thereon, which was adopted at the meeting held on the 4th ultimo.

2.

On the receipt of Your Lordship's despatch Circular of the 24th October, 1906, the Medical Director was requested to report whether the "lessons on Elementary Hygiene and Sanitation with special reference to the Tropics" by Dr. W. T. Prout, a copy of which was enclosed therein, could not take the place, to a certain extent at least, of the lectures which it was proposed to prepare locally. I transmit a copy of the report received from Dr. Lorans and of a minute from the Director of Public Instruction to whom Dr. Lorans's report was communicated.

3. It is not possible for me to attempt to criticise the expert advice which has been tendered or to insist on the use of a lesson book which is regarded with such obvious disfavour by the Medical Director, but with regard to the language question, the choice as between English and French may, I am of opinion, be left to the discretion of the lecturer, who will doubtless make use of both languages as occasion may arise.

4. I propose, therefore, that the preparation of the lectures should be com menced and carried out independently of Dr. Prout's book.

*

I have, &c.,

CAVENDISH BOYLE.

Enclosure 1 in No. 49.

*

FURTHER REPort from the DIRECTOR OF THE MEDICAL and Health Department.

(No. C 2011./2965.)

THE HONOURABLE

THE COLONIAL Secretary,

REFERRING to your letter No. D General/4.8.06, of the 13th instant on the subject of teaching of hygiene in our schools, I have the honour to state that I think arrangements could now be made for a course of the proposed lectures at a cost of less than Rs. 1,500.

2. The officers of the Medical and Health Department who could have delivered these lectures are unfortunately too constantly engaged on pressing duties and too hard worked the year in and out to permit of my asking any of them to undertake this additional duty, which requires preparations of the lectures and freedom from engagements on certain days.

3. It was necessary under these circumstances for me to consider what assist- ance I could obtain outside the departmental staff. Remembering that I had been helped in the preparation of the scheme under reference by Dr. Crétin who was acting as Assistant Government Medical Officer at the time, I have privately asked

↑ Not printed.

• No. 36.

↑ Extract only printed.

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