BRIDES AND DOWRIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 November 1934, Page 14

BRIDES AND DOWRIES

A CAMEROONS CUSTOM. A report on the administration of the Cameroons under British mandate during 1933, recently published, discusses, among other things: *ocal government through chiefs advised by secret societies. How natives help the British authorities to stamp out slavery. Reform of the dowry system and Growth of the co-operative system of cocoa production. The people of the open hill country of Bamenda. says the report, regard their chiefs as semi-divine. “Formerly,” it says, “the chiefs were advised by a. secret society, which cannot now be recognised by the Government. Efforts have been made with some success to persuade the four most powerful and conservative chiefs—those of Bali, Banso, Bafut and Nkoni—who, it appears, choose their own advisers, to select them from a wider Held than that of a secret society.” ' Following a suggestion that the situation of women in Central Africa and in the Cameroons under British and French mandates was very unsatisfactory, the heads of various missions stated the view that dowries are too high and that the system needs gradual reform, that education for girls is inadequate, and that courses of instruction should be given in midwifery and the care of infants. During the year there were only three cases of slavery, for which four persons were charged and convicted.