BRITON’S LITTLE KINGDOM

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 June 1936, Page 13

BRITON’S LITTLE KINGDOM

ABYSSINIAN TRADING POST. District Commissioner Captain J. Maurice, who rules over the Gambela trading post in Western Abyssinia, has his own wireless station, his own flying boat, several cars, and his own string of polo ponies. The post, which consists of about a third of a square mile of territory, is leased by the Sudan Government from the Abyssinian Government. Visitors are astonished that Captain Maurice is able to keep ponies at all in those parts, but the answer is that he has had them specially inoculated against the tsetse fly with a serum brought from England.

The District Commissioner’s bodyguard numbers 30 black soldiers of the Sudan Defence Force. He has been there for nine years. He has another hobby besides polo, and this is motor-boating on the river. Though nominally “ruler” of only a third of a square mile, this whitehaired stocky retired captain is looked upon as adviser to nearly the whole of the Wallega province, in which there are several British concessions, notably the Birbir gold mines at Saio and the platinum mines. Incidentally, the two tributaries of the Blue Nile, which waters Egypt, the Dadessa and Yabus, supply 75 per cent, of the water, whereas Lake Tsana supplies only 13 per cent.. Both these tributaries are in Wallega. South-east of Saio, at Gore, there is a British Consulate. Coffee, wax, honey—apart from platinum and, gold concessions—are produced and exported from Wallega. Two English firms share concessions with the Italian firm of Prasso for the minerals. Another important concession is the road, 180 miles long, to the steamship station Lekemti, owned by the firm of Gellatly and Hankey. Qfiptain Maurice is said to be the most popular man in Western Abyssinia, and natives come from remote parts to bring him their troubles and to ask his judgment in their disputes. His agricultural activities, in his little area, are a model for the Abyssinians.

It is said that when the Abyssinian chiefs of the district come to him to ask whether they would prevail if they attacked the Italians in pitched battles, he advised them to refrain.

Only one, Ras Makonnen, nephew of the Emperor, failed to follow his advice. Of 50,000 men, it is said, only 10,000 went to the war from this province.

Besides Ras Makonnen, there are two other youths who claim royal descent in the province of Wallega. Both say they are grandsons of Menelik, and both desire that, the province l should be an independent State under

British protection. Gold and platinttih thinks hkVebeen operated for a. considerable time in the Wallega province iliiaer British companies, and a good deal of British money has been invested in'them. The gold is alluvial.