THE RHODESIAS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23796, 1 May 1939, Page 17

THE RHODESIAS

LORD BLEDISLOE’S IMPRESSIONS (From Our Own Correspondent) LONDON, Mar. 16. Lord Bledisloe, the chairman of the Rhodesia-Nyasaland Royal Commission cave an illustrated address on “ Impressions of the Two _ Rhodesias and Nyasaland” at a meeting of the Royal Empire Society. Lord Bledisloe said he did not propose to reveal, still less to discuss, the contents of the report of the Royal Commission which was constituted a year ago, under his chairmanship, to consider the advisability and practicability of establishing closer political association between these two territories and between them and the adjacent Protectorate of Nyasaland. The report was signed in the debatingChamber of the House of Lords a fortnight ago. and should be available shortly. . , , His function was simply to- convey his own personal impressions (which were not necessarily—or entirely—those of his colleagues) of these countries, illustrated in some measure by a few snapshot pictures which he took on their travels by road, rail, and air over several thousand miles of that part of “the Dark Continent.” These impressions were conditioned largely by the relative state of progress and development of those territories and of their white and black inhabitants, and partly, he felt bound to confess, by his knowledge and experience of olher parts of the Empire, notably New Zealand. SKILL OF SETTLERS He mentioned the skill, enterprise, and courage of many of the European settlers, especially those cultivating tobacco in Southern Rhodesia and tea in Southern Nyasaland. There was a serious handicap to economic development generally, and to the cultivation of cash crops in particular, presented bv distance from any seaport, and unavoidable transport through foreign territory to reach one. Vast areas existed of uncultivated, eroded, and exhausted land, and there was an almost entire absence of sheep and a relative scarcity of cattle, though some of the herds of cattle in Southern Rhodesia were of outstanding quality. He emphasised the unselfish devotion of the missions of various religious denominations in providing for the education and medical treatment as well as for the spiritual welfare of the natives, and the childishness, cheerfulness, and willingness of the natives. Zeal was displayed in all three territories to develop a greater sense of responsibility and leadership on the part of native chiefs and headmen. Native chiefs and their sons were trained at special centres of instruction, and native authorities and native councils had been established for_ the exercise of minor judicial and administrative functions in tribal areas. Concluding. Lord Bledisloe paid tribute to the conscientious devotion to work of the provincial and district commissioners within the circumscribed limits of their authority; to the amazing enterprise of the great copper companies of Northern Rhodesia in providing for the amenities and social welfare of their employees; to the broad-minded, patriotic, and sympathetic exercise by the British South Africa Company of the powers of control which it possessed over Industrial enterprise and railway transport. and its recent generous provision for native land requirements in Northeastern Rhodesia: and to the enlightened generosity of the Beit Trust in making grants for education, the bridging of the rivers, and various social services.