“Solid progress” in Tanzania

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32797, 23 December 1971, Page 14

“Solid progress” in Tanzania

The Chinese were ‘ assisting Tanzania in : pursuance of their declared aim of seeing the last vestages of “imperialism” and “colonialism” in Africa wiped out, said Mr P. J. Humphries, of Christchurch, in an interview.

Mr Humphries, a former district commissioner in Tanzania, has just returned from the tenth anniversary cele- ■ brations of the independence ’of Tanganyika. He was invited to c-lebrations, with 89 ’ other former administrators.

' by the Government of the ■ Republic of Tanzania (Tanganyika and Zanzibar) and ’ met the president (Dr Nyerere).

The “red carpet” treatment given to himself and ■; the other former administrators was most heart-warming, Mr Humphries said. He did not think any other country • in Africa would extend such an invitation, and it was, in one respect, a sign of Tanzania's stability and solid progress as an independent • republic within the Common- ; wealth.

: s4oom INTEREST FREE . "China has given Tanzania ■ a s4oom interest-free loan to ' build the railway from Zambia to Dar-es-Salaam, a distance of 1000 miles. It is

probably the biggest single i aid project going on in the 1 world today,” Mr Humphries 1 said. I “Dr Nyerere, in his speech of i welcome to us, made it clear i that he held us, selected from the administrators appointed by the British when Tanganyika was a country in the trusteeship of the League of Nations and then the United Nations, in the highest regard personally, but that he did not believe in African countries being administered by Europeans under colonialism,” said Mr Humhpries. During the celebrations, the Naval College at Dar-es-Salaam was opened. TanJ zania now had a navy with . motor-torpedo boats and i other vessels, Mr Humphries ■ said. “Dr Nyerere is convinced that the Chinese way of life j is more suited to the Tanzanian people than the more sophisticated way of life in : the developed Western coun- , tries. He considers that Tanzania is not ready for, and cannot afford, the trappings of Westminster. j ‘There is a one-party Government and Dr Nyerere is ' very much still the 100 per cent people’s choice. The Government is willing to accept aid from both East and West and the Scandinavian countries are assisting the country. “The top economic adviser to the Government is still

an American, and the top legal adviser is still from the United Kingdom. Away out here in New Zealand, we do not realise the heated feelings that Africans have bn European influence in Africa. “NX VOTING NOTED" "They know New Zealand’s record of voting in the United Nations and disapprove of it. They consider the latest proposal on Rhodesia to be a sell-out to the European minority and make no bones of their hatred of apartheid in South Africa. TOne high officer of the Tanzanian Government told me that New Zealand’s voting record in the United Nations on African questions was one of "prudence, prudence to the point cowardice’.” Mr Humphries said he travelled down the “hell ran" to Iringa, where he had been district officer-300 miles of rough road, filled with convoys of lorries taking materials and men for the railroad and carting imports . and exports tb Zambia because the Zambians would not use the Rhodesian or Portuguese African railways —because those countries were still under “colonial” rule. “GREAT IMPROVEMENTS" “I was particularly impressed with improvement of the quality of life in Iringa

brought about by the communal villages—rather like the Israeli kibbutzim. This bringing together of the people in centres—eo that one hospital can serve many, far instance—in pursuance of Dr Nyerere’s policy of socialism, has resulted in great improvements. "The bringing together of scattered peoples into communal villages could only be done by a Tanzanian administration under one-party rule. "The improvement in higher education, teachers’ training colleges, in irrigation on farnts, secondary schools, water and forestry development particularly impressed me. I had not been to Iringa for 10 years and tire progress there was more dramatic. It is less than font years since I left Dar-es-Salaam, as I was one Of the last 12 administrators to leave Tanzania. I was invited to stay on after the formation of the republic in 1964. "I was impressed with the will with which the . people were going about making these, improvements. Tanzania is still basically an agricultural country but industrialisation is taking place gradually. For example, there is a textile mill at Dar-es-Salaam set up with Chinese assistance” Mr Humphries said.