LIFE IN THE SUDAN

Evening Star, Issue 20374, 4 January 1930, Page 14

LIFE IN THE SUDAN

-S **•**•: 1 :l 1 .""~T -r.' ■ AIR TRAVEL ACCEPTED GTJUiDAIE BF LIVING RAISED The report of Lord Floyd; High Commissioner, on the Finances, Administration, -and Condition of the Sudan, which was published a little while back as/ a Blue Book, is a record of progress in many directions.: ; • •: •• -;1 i:. Lord Lloyd, referring to the scheme for devolving gradually to . the tribal, authori- , ties such/judicial • and. 'administrative functions as it is ■within their capacity to perform, says; - . “ Experience: of-, the new. native courts, which pave come into existence more particularly? in, the "northern 1 provinces, has shown that ' touch- good work’ has been done, that the tribal chiefs have intelligently , realised, -their /responsibilities, and that the' people are receiving justice on lines which are readily acceptable to them.” The increase in comfort and saving, of time to. both the Government and the commercial community was a feature of the. development/ of roads, railways, and /motor ‘ transport air Over the country. Air travel,, both official and private, had becom .an accepted ; part of the .transport system. Landing grounds existed at all important and many smaller places in the Sudan. ‘

, The ramifications of a considerate trade in elaves from Abyssinia through the Fung* Province to the nomad Arabs of the White Nile Province have been slowly but surely brought to light." JA ? » result,of the measures' taken; the 7 trade has 1 now ceased, and,, the sentences imposed on those cohricted: of being. concerned in it should effectively prevent a recrudescence.” ; ■’ the. general economic situation, the 1 report* iStateß:. ", Much attention ahs been paid to the question of transport, and it is a comforting reflection that thecompletion of the new, railways' and the' advance in'motor transport are a further insurance against the risks of possible food shortage. The future, can be faced with much ihore equanimity - than was possible: v.wbeuthe country, was ,first threhteiied wth scarcity four yearaago.” The report-also states that there is no. doubt that the native standard of living is rising throughout many parts of the • country, and'thakthe native “ motor bus ” —often merely a lorry carrying a confused -mass of goods and passengers—-bas made its appearance- A seat from Wad Medani to Khartum (110 miles) ; costs only 3s. . ‘liirge. areas in the Sudan were rapidly becoming mechanised i .while tho . growth fit air Jraffic.alsg marked a new phase.