NOT “WHITE MAN’S GRAVE”

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 July 1936, Page 8

NOT “WHITE MAN’S GRAVE”

HEALTH OF WEST AFRICA. West Africa can no longer with justice be termed “the White Man’s Grave.” This is evident from the “Vital Statistics of Non-Native Officials,” issued recently by the Crown Agents for the Colonies. They show that a remarkable all-round improvement has taken place during the past 30; years.

In 1905 the number of Europeans in service in Gambia, Sierra Leone, the Gold; Coast and Nigeria was 1,491. In 1935 the. number was more than double led: —2,995, including 134 women officials —yet the number of deaths during. the year was only 15, as compared with 42 in 1905. The death-rate per 1,000 fell in the 30 years from 28.11 to 5.1, and the average length of service of those who died increased from 31 years to 10 years and eight months. The number of persons invalided in 1905 was 93. With more than double the number in the service in 1935, only 37- persons were invalided. The rate per. 1,000 fell from 62.3 to 12.4. The

average length of service of those invalided rose from two years and seven months to 10 years.

During 1905 300 officials left the service after serving an average of three years and one month. Last year 255 ieit, with an average service of 91 i Tl } e average service of women officials who left in 1925 was six years. Their average was less than in ho case of the men because seven rip f nn res . igned in ord er to be inar- ™ aftei ‘ sllort Periods of service. Of the la deaths in 1935, only two vero duo to tropical diseases. Four were the, result of accidents. The 1935 figures show an improvement over those for 1934. The leatlt rate per 1,000 was 1.4 lower, and here were four fewer invalidings