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Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 60, Issue 4352, 6 November 1950, Page 8

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FROM SARAWAK COLONY HASTEN SLOWLY POLICY PROBLEMS OF DEViELOPMENT -c, A recent visitor to Paeroa is Mr D. L .Leach, director of the Lands and Survey Department, of the colony of Sarawak, and son of Mr David Leach, of the Victoria Bakeries Ltd., of Paeroa. Mr Leach is on. six months furlough from the East and intends to spend that period in the Dominion. Sarawak used to be ruled by Sir Charles Vyner Brooke, the third of the white rajahs, but since Sarawak has been ceded to the British Crown it has become a full British colony instead of merely a British protectorate as it was when ruled by the Brooke family.

The colony, said Mr Leach when interviewed by a Gazette representative, consisted of a coastal strip some 450 miles long and varying from 40 to 12'0 miles in depth on the north-west coast of Borneo and had an area of 47,00'9 square miles. The British Government was carrying on the development of the country, which in some ways l has Agricultural The development of the country was not such an easy problem as it would be if it was peopled with members of our own race. The policy of the Brooke family was on that account, one which aimed at slow development rather than anything in a spectacular manner and that policy was being wisely followed by the British Government. Emphasis was certainly being placed upon the introduction of improved agricultural methods for the methods of the natives of the colony were exceedingly primitive. That made it necessary to proceed slowly for it would be futile to commence any large scale programme which would need for its maintenance the use of labour with modern methods beyond the capacity of the inhabitants to comprehend and carry out. There was another reason why it was advisable to hasten slowly, said Mr Leabh, and that was because it was not certain what was the most suitable use to which the land in Sarawak could be put. Of recent years the colony had increased its timber trade and in W4B timber to the value of over 1,000,000 dollars was exported. A very considerable export timber trade was 'being built up with Australia. Petroleum (crude) to the value of 50,000,0'0'0 dollars and (refined) to the value of dollars was exported in 1948. There were mineral deposits to be found in the colony and recently bauxite had been found.

Much experimental and research work was being carried out by his department, continued Mr Leach. His department was a very live body and was turning its attention very much to research so as to be able to evolve schemes which were suitable to the

land, the climate and to the capacity of the inhabitants. .Until complete experiments had been made they were fighting shy of any large scale plan. Problems of the Land Mr Leach’s particular sphere was the administration of the land, its survey and the fixing of land tenures, defining of titles to land and the building up a land register based upon secure cadastral survey. All that was necessary both in respect of town land and areas which could be opened up for settlement. His particular department adjudicated upon the conflicting claims to the land and fixed ownership of each portion or subdivision of land. In addition it fell within the province of the department to deal with all alienations of land and the collection of rents. The authority for all policy and administration was vested in the Governor-in-Council and the Lands and Survey Department acted as advisor to the Governor-in-Council in all matters relating to land and the ownership and alienation thereof. Other duties which devolved upon his department were the granting of all mining leases and the control of prospecting. There was so far no mines department as in New Zealand but there was a Geological Survey Department, which had been established since the end of the war and that department provided all the technical advice as to mining. If the mining industry developed to,any extent then a mining section would be added to his department, said Mr Leach, and if necessary that section could be expanded into a separate mines department.

Mr Leach first went to Sarawak in 193'0 and has remained in the colony’s service since then. More New Zealand surveyors were required in Sarawak. At present there were five surveyors from the Dominion in his department and the Government was most anxious to secure more New Zealanders ugon its staff. Roads were few in the colony and travel was mostly by sea and river, though road building was under way in difficult country. Tha land varied from the swampy coastal plains to the hilly interior and most of the trade Was carried on upon the rivers, the crossing of which made road making very difficult. ' This month there was being held in Wellington a conference of the surveyors of the British Commonwealth and the United States of America and the conference will last from November 9 to November 21. At the conference Mr Leach’ will represent the colony of Sarawak the purpose of the conference being to establish a reciprocity for survey qualifications and training. Representatives of the chartered survey institutes of Great Britain, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the British colonies and the United States of America will attend the conference, which was the outcome of a suggestion made at a conference of Commonwealth surveyors held in London in 1947, which he attended as representative of Sarawak. Mr Leach expects to return to Sarawak about the end of March next.