PROBLEMS OF AFRICA

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 35, 4 November 1937, Page 5

PROBLEMS OF AFRICA

Administrative Complexities britain 's "trusteeship (Keceived 4, 8.45 a.m.) • KUGBY, Nov. 3. The Duke pf Gloucester delivered a speecb at a mceting of the Afriean Society to-day. The Duke said that, with the sncreasing complexity of the problems of administration, it was - more than. ever necessary for tLj people of this country, v|ho bore the final responsibility for the African dependencies, to find' out all they could at. first hand of the Tapidly-changing social conditions. His Royal Highness referred to the inestimable value of the work oJ the Colonial Civil Service. "It is most interesting," he asid, "that Africa is still getting a fine typn of young man for the service . in all parts. Nowadays, many persons, not only in this country, are watchiiig the way in which we are discharging our trusteeship for 40,000,000 Africana whose destinies have become linked with ours. "But we are not alone in that Contihent, and the maximum benefit to Africa can only be attained by close co-operation and good understanding with the repr sentatives of the other Powers concerned in the administration of the A: ican dependencies." The Duke went on to say that one foi the problems whiili would strike visitors, particularly in East Africa, was that of soil ei'osi^n. Changes in the system of : griculture had ' exposed the soil to the fully fury of the tropical wind and rain, and denudation of the fertile top soil was proceeding, sometimes vith appalling results. Active steps were beb ^ taken to conjbat that evil.