IN CENTRAL AFRICA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20043, 4 September 1920, Page 2

IN CENTRAL AFRICA.

'♦» LIFE IN NYASSALAND, WORK OF A SOLDIER. The scries of articles to ba published in tha “ Star ” give a description of life in Nyassaland, German East Africa, and the experiences of a tobacco planter as planter and soldier. They are written by Captain H. L, Willis, of the Ist King's African Rifles. The captain is of an old and well-known Canterbury family. He left hero with the Seventh Con tin sent (or the BbJr War, serving with that force until peace was declared. He took his discharge from the New Zealand Forces at Newcastle, South Africa, and for a time worked on the Bond and Dclagoa Bay sections of railway, then went to Rhodesia, and ultimately reached Boira, on route for his home in Now Zealand., At this port, however, he met a mining engineer who “ pitched the Golden Tale,” with the result that a abort time after found the captain “ broke " in Nyassaland. It was decided to give tobacco growing a trial. In ''•'e year seventy-five acres of ■ -<» v were roTT'four ‘lc’ v le barns, a dwelling house, jd gradii.S shed were bui i. and twentv-ave tons of ungraded tooacco were raised and sold far threepence per pound—that price returning 100 per cent profit on the outlay.' " The same tobacco leaf to-day is worth over Is per pound, and if graded, sixpence to nine-pence more. War conditions have increased the costs of pro rluction by 50 per cent the native wvmlation having earned a good deal of money through the war operations, will not work well until this is spent , , _ , . When war with Germany started Casein Willis was in Fort Jameson, and there ioined the North Rhodesian Rifles, with them marching 4-75 miles to the German border. I After four months, as there wa-s no fighting nn that sector, with forty others, he took bia discharge* walked back to Fort Jameson, •>nd on to Kfttokato, on Lake Nyassa. there 1 •.lining the Nvassa Volunteer Reserve, serv ■ng on the southern border of German Karl Africa. This force was made an of nlant ers. missionaries. Government officials, oto, and was drawn upon for officers and machine ounrfT" bv the King’s African Rifles—fin Imperial Reviment of natives officered iron (ba Regular Amy. Thi« force being con •■rolled bv the Colonial Office had been kept -t' a minimum strength. wi*h the result 'hat when war broke out the Regular officers -ere detain'd for Senior staff work and ‘raining new battalion*, thus throwing a lot of work on the new officers drawn from the 'ocal civil life. Th» kno" - lerV« of the lan•unge and local cnnd ; tions held.bv the latt»r nvoved of groat assistance and many are •till serving. Cantain W’Hs i* now sta--1 toned at Mhssoko near. New Laugenherg cq nnrt, of th* annv of occuiia.Hon. Them -.to vßonon native* in tin's district, speaking at least a dozen languages.