[Distributed to the Council a n d C. 452 (h). M. 166 (h). 1925. VI. ll,e Members of the League.]

G e n e v a , November 1 st, 1924.

REPORTS OF MANDATORY POWERS

Submitted to the Council of the League of Nations in Accordance with Article 22 of the Covenant and examined by the Permanent Mandates Commission during its Seventh Session, October 1925.

II

REPORT

BY

HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT

ON THE

ADMINISTRATION UNDER MANDATE

OF THE

BRITISH CAMEROONS

FOR THE YEAR 1924.

SOCIÉTÉ DES NATIONS — LEAGUE OF NATIONS

GENÈVE ---- 1925 GENEVA NOTES BY THE SECRETARIAT OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

This edition of the reports submitted to the Council of the League of Nations by the Mandatory Powers under Article 22 of the Covenant is published in execution of the following resolution adopted by the Assembly on September 22nd, 1924, at its Fifth Session : “ The Fifth Assembly . . . requests that the reports of the Mandatory Powers should be distributed to the States Members of the League of Nations and placed at the disposal of the public who may desire to purchase them. ” The reports have generally been reproduced as received by the Secretariat. In certain cases, however, it has been decided to omit in this new edition certain legislative and other texts appearing as annexes, and maps and photographs contained in the original edition published by the Mandatory Power. Such omissions are indicated by notes by the Secretariat.

The annual report to the League of Nations on the administration of the territory of the British Cameroons for the year 1924 was received by the Secretariat on August 24th, 1925, and examined by the Permanent Mandates Commission on October 21st, 1925, in the presence of the accredited Representative of the British Government, Major U. F. H. Buxton, C.M.G., Lieutenant-Governor of the Southern Provinces of Nigeria. (See Minutes of the Seventh Session, Document C.648.M.237.1925.VI., pages 35-51.) The observations of the Commission on this report are contained in document C.649.M.238.1925.VI. (C.P.M.330.), pages 5 and 6.

The references in this report to pages in previous reports refer to the original edition published by the Mandatory Power, which the Secretariat has not yet been able to have reprinted.

S. d. N. 650 (A.). — 9/25. — Imp. Réunies, Chambéry. i? CHAD

K u k a w a o

OUTLINE MAP 1 ,atu> OF M aidugiuji

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,.:P o jk iro ■ / °I Tktmysan ibo Area administered as Cameroons Province. shewn thus —„ ------„ ------by the Resident of Bornu Province Kumb .iTubfz.fi -- h - -ii a— n -i------ji—Vols Headquarters Provincial------J------, VICTORIA „ D ivisional ------% B u ra Boundaries International ------,, Provincial------V'ictoï'iiti®! ------Names of Provinces______Y@\L/A ■^StajMdhel Names of Administrative Divisions Camerocns Provinces KUMBA FERNANDO’FERNANDO

Mai by & Sons,Lith. CONTENTS.

Page I. General ...... 5 II. Legislation ...... 6 III. Administrative Organisation and Progress ...... 6 IV. Judicial ...... 12 V. Administrative Staff...... 13 VI. Slavery ...... 15 VII. Labour ...... 15 VIII. Arms Traffic ...... 17 IX. Alcoholic Liquor and Drugs...... 17 X. Liberty of Conscience ...... 18 XI. Military and Police ...... 19 XII. Economic Equality ...... 19 XIII. Education ...... 20 XIV. Public Health...... 23 XV. Land Tenure ...... 25 XVI. Moral, Social, and Material Welfare ...... 26 XVII. Public Finances ...... 28 XVIII. Vital Statistics ...... 30 XIX. Customs ...... • • 31 XX. General International Convention ...... 32

Appendix I. Government Revenue and Expenditure ...... 33 „ II. Native Treasuries : Revenue and Expenditure ...... 41 „ III. Land Tenure in Dikwa Emirate ...... ■■ ■■ •• 46 Map REPORT B Y HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT ON THE ADMINISTRATION UNDER MANDATE OF BRITISH GAMEROONS FOR THE YEAR 1924.

I. — GENERAL.

1. In the observations of the Permanent Mandates Commission on the report on the British Cameroons for 1923, criticism was direct ed against a twice repeated passage in which it was stated that as a result of the enactment of the British Cameroons (Administration) Ordi­ nance, No. 3 of 1924, the British Cameroons had “ become an integral part ” of Nigeria. The phrasing of that passage was admittedly due to an error in drafting. In order to remove misapprehensions, it maybe stated that, while the mandated area is administered, in accord­ ance with Article 9 of the Mandate, as though it formed an integral part of Nigeria, this adminis­ trative arrangement implies neither fusion nor incorporation. The position is, therefore, in strict accord with the letter and the spirit of the Mandate. 2. It should further be explained that the administrative dispositions regarding the Cameroons have been framed primarily in the interests of the natives of the mandated terri­ tory. The Dikwa and Yola districts of the Northern Cameroons formed parts of the ancient kingdom of Bornu and Adamawa. The administrative reunion of these districts with the adja­ cent Nigerian Provinces of Bornu and Yola has resulted in the revival of historic associations between tribes and states which formerly were severed by the Anglo-German frontier. The most eloquent vindication of this reunion has been the appointment in 1924 of Muhamman Bello (Maigari), Headman of the Cameroons District of Nassarao, to be Emir of Yola. A scion of the Royal House, in the strict line of descent from the founder of the dynasty, this man added to his hereditary claims a reputation for sagacity and independence of character, which, it may be hoped, will enable him to perform with credit the duties of the high office to which he has been called. 3. If the inhabitants of the southern portion of the Cameroons do not exhibit so close an affinity with their Nigerian neighbours, they derive a variety of benefits from their adminis­ trative association with the British Protectorate. In any case it would have been impossible to administer this area as an isolated and independent unit, wedged in between Nigeria and the French Cameroons. Such an arrangement would have been as detrimental to the well­ being of the inhabitants as it would have been economically and administratively wasteful. 4. The mandated area falls, as stated in previous reports, into two main divisions : — The Cameroons Province and The Northern Cameroons, administered respectively as though they were parts of the Southern and Northern Provinces of the Protectorate of Nigeria. 5. Some minor administrative adjustments have been made during the year. The area of Kaka-Ntem. which formed the extreme southern apex of the Northern Cameroons, has been transferred to the Cameroons Province, investigations having shown that the tribal affinities of the inhabitants lay with their southern rather than with their northern neighbours. 6. The remainder of the Gashaka district (of which the Kaka-Ntem area formed a part) has been transferred for administrative purposes from Yola to Muri Province. This district, inhabited almost exclusively by pagan tribes, can be more effectively administered from Muri. 7. The resulting position is that the Northern Cameroons now consists of four portions : — (i) The Dikwa Emirate, administered by the Resident of the Bornu Province ; (ii) The Yola or Adamawa areas lying north and south of the River Benue, adminis­ tered as part of the Yola Emirates ; (iii) The districts of Grumpao and Yebbi, attached to the Numan Division of the Yola Province and, like (ii), administered by the Resident of that Province ; and (iv) The Gashaka district, administered by the Resident of the Muri Province. 8. The Cameroons Province remains, as hitherto, in charge of a Senior Resident whose activities are exclusively confined to the mandated territory.

8 a . It is regretted that i t is not possible to show on the map attached to this report the exact limits of the area transferred from Yola to Muri Province. Further changes are pending and it is hoped that the eventual dispositions will be shown on the map that will be attached to the report for 1925. — 6 —

II. — LEGISLATION.

9. By the British Cameroons Administration Ordinance (No. 3 of 1924), subsequently re-enacted in an amended form as Ordinance No. 1 of 1925, the bulk of Nigerian Lawwasapplied to the British Cameroons. From 28th February, 1924, the date on which the Ordinance came into operation, German Law, in so far as it was previously in force, was automatically superseded. 10. Sub-Section 3 of Section 2 of the 1924 Ordinance provided that all subsequent Nigerian legislation, in so far as it might be applicable and local circumstances permitted, and unless a contrary intention was stated, should apply to the British Cameroons. The position in 1924 was, therefore, that Nigerian Ordinances enacted on and after 28th February, 1924, applied to the Cameroons under the conditions laid down in that Sub-Section. 11. It has, however, been found to be advisable that the application of future Nigerian Ordinances to the Cameroons should be expressly provided for in the text of individual enact­ ments. The Sub-Section has accordingly been omitted in Ordinance No. 1 of 1925. 12. Among the other Ordinances enact ed in 1924, which specific ally relate to the Cameroons, may be mentioned the following :— No. 5. Interpretation (Amendment) Ordinance, 1924. ,, 22. British Cameroons Ex-Enemy Immovable Property Disposal Ordinance, 1924. ,, 29. German Missions Ordinance, 1924. ,, 34. Interpretation (Amendment No. 2) Ordinance, 1924. These Ordinances have not been printed in the report, but twelve copies of each are being forwarded with it.

III. — ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANISATION AND PROGRESS.

(i) D ik w a E m ir a t e .

13. The Emirate is administered as part of the Bornu Province in which it is known as the Dikwa Division. The normal staff is one political officer and one clerk. This year the Mandatory Power has been able to attach a second officer. 14. In his relations with the Mandatory Power it is the political officer’s duty to carry out all orders given by the Resident of Bornu, to submit to him all matters that require his sanction, e.g., the appointment or dismissal of a District Headman, and over-expenditure in the Estimates, etc., to keep him informed of affairs generally in the Emirate, and to handle the revenue and expenditure of the Mandatory Power in the territory. He also has judicial powers as a Commissioner of the Nigerian Courts. 15. In his relations with the “ Native Administration ” of the Sheikh of Dikwa, the poli­ tical officer acts as adviser and inspector rather than direct executive officer, while retaining the power and right to order that the wishes of the Mandatory Power shall be complied with. 16. The head of the native administration is the Sheikh of Dikwa, and the chief execu­ tive instrument is the Sheikh’s Council which has both executive and judicial powers. The Council consists of : — The Waziri, The Imam, The Chief Kadi, Shettima Kanuri. 17. At Dikwa is the residence of the Sheikh, and here also are the various d e p a rtm e n ts— Native Treasury, Native Prison, Public Works Department, School and the Chief K adis Court. These are all inspected at intervals by the political officer who communicates any comments he has to make to the Sheikh and Council. The working of these departments for the year under review is reported under the appropriate headings. 18. For the administration of the outlying districts, there are thirteen salaried district headmen, mostly chosen from the best of the old “ fief holders ” who control districts varying in size from 150 to 900 square miles, an d 168 salaried village headmen, chosen from the peasantry. These officials are responsible for law and order in their units and the collection of taxes. 19. When he is on tour, the political officer supervises the work that is going on in H11- districts whether taxation, roads or general administrative work. He hears complaints an sends the complainants to the proper courts, and on his return to Dikwa lays the results ot his tour before the Sheikh and Council with any comments or suggestions that have occurred him. It will thus be seen that the Native Administration has a large measure of freedom, and takes a large part in the administration of the Emirate, a part which it has proved itse i capable of filling with no little degree of success. — 7 —

20. There can be no doubt that this method of encouraging the Sheikh and his Council under supervision to do things for themselves has brought about an increasing appreciation of personal responsibilities in the administration of the Emirate, and an increasing desire for the prosperity of the State. 21. Two District Heads have for the las^ two years or more not been considered by the District Officer to be capable of taking charge satisfactorily of a district. The Sheikh, know­ ing th a t these were members of old and important Bornu families, wished to retain them in office, and opposed any suggestions that they should be removed. This year, however, acting on the advice of the District Officer, he has dismissed one, and has on his own initiative suggested that the other should be replaced when opportunity occurs. 22. The most noticeable and most satisfactory feature of the district and village adminis­ tration has been the settling down of the Arab tribes in the east and south-eastern parts of the Emirate. In the early days of the division bitter inter-tribal quarrels between the Arabs were common, their tax was only collected with difficulty, and they practically refused to do any kind of road work. This year the whole Arab tax has been collected rapidly without incidents ; no inter-tribal quarrels have arisen ; and all the road work in the Arab Districts was completed with a gratifying show of willingness by the end of the year. 23. In the other districts, in which the Kanuri predominate, the work of the District Heads has been good, except in the case of two — Dikwa District and Bama. The District Head of Dikwa District has been removed on the score of inefficiency by the Sheikh, and, as the District is small and comprises only a few villages in the neighbourhood of Dikwa, its affairs have been placed in the hands of the Council, a step which will promote efficiency and also provide a saving on the salary list. 24. In Bama the District Head has been found guilty of dishonesty and was on the point of being removed by the Sheikh when he died, shortly before the end of the year. His successor has not yet been appointed. In the Bama District, too, a complete overhaul of the village administration has been made. 25. In the remaining districts of the plain there is very little to report. There have been very few serious crimes and the people in the boundary districts have been practically immune from the former organised thieving raids, for which they have to thank the vigilance of the District Heads. 26. The settlement of the hill districts has proceeded very satisfactorily on the lines demon­ strated in previous reports. In particular, such is the growing confidence in the security brought about by the administration that large numbers of hillmen have come down to the vacant farm land at the foot of their hills, previously almost a no-man’s land. Some of these have come to reside and others only to farm, retaining their homes in the hills. As a result, the harvest has been a record one, and the region has never known greater plenty, as is evidenced by the purchases of stock from the plains now being made by the hillmen. 27. An incident inseparable from development and the mingling of peoples of differing standards of civilisation disturbed matt ers in a small locality in August of the year under review. The hillmen, accustomed from time immemorial to defend their hills against the people of the plain and to massacre persons venturesome enough to visit them, could not resist the sight of traders passing along the routes through their new-found farms on the plains. Several robberies occurred, some with violence, particularly near the town of -Gwoza. 28. The District Headman of Gwoza succeeded in arresting five robbers, all fully armed. The next day, however, the inhabitants of the hill villages near by came down armed, demanded the release of their friends, and, on his refusal, burnt the town, killing three of his men. This incident necessitated, in the absence of any armed police force available, the use of an escort from the military detachment at Maiduguri, With this the Political Officer was enabled to bring the ringleaders to trial and inflict punishment and exact reparations. 29. To prevent any possibility of recurrence the escort was retained till the end of the year. The outbreak was from the first limited to a very small area, six miles by four, and the attitude of the communities in the rest of the region has been all that could be desired. 30. Prisons. — The number of prisoners in the Native Administration Prison at the end of the year was sixty-seven. They have been employed chiefly on sanitary work in the town, brickmaking, and building repairs. The discipline of the prisoners has been very good. With the exception of an outbreak of relapsing fever, the health of the prisoners has been good. This epidemic, which is general throughout the country, reached the prisoners in August, and has been responsible for all the deaths during the year, which number twenty- three. As soon as the outbreak was recognised as relapsing fever, the prison authorities were supplied with disinfectant by the Medical Officer at Maiduguri. New clothes were at once made, and the old clothes and mats were destroyed. The sick were isolated, new prisoners were kept apart, and frequent bathing parades were ordered. 31. Public Works. — Owing to the abnormally heavy rains this year damage both to roads and buildings has been unusually severe, but the work of repair was completed by the end of the year. 32. New buildings completed during the year include the school, a traders’ caravanserai, and the enlargement of the workshops. (ii) A d a m a w a D is t r ic t s .

33. By the Adamawa districts are denoted those portions of the Cameroons, lying north and south of the River Benue, which are administered as part of the Emirate of Yola. The two portions are not continuous for the reason that on the Benue itself and for a short distance to the north and south of that river the boundary between the territories under British and French Mandates coincides with the old Anglo-German frontier. The northern portion is divided into eleven and the southern into three districts. The Fulani District Heads and a number of the pagan communities have, in accordance with their own desire, been allowed to return to their old allegiance to the Emir of Yola. The acknowledgment of their traditional Suzerain is the natural outcome of the reunion described in paragraph 2 above. 34. A further outcome, as previously stated, is the appointment of the Headman of the Cameroons District of Nassarao to succeed his late kinsman as Emir of Yola. 35. In order fully to appreciate the significance of the linking up of previously severed territories, it must be remembered that before the period of European occupation Adamawa was the eastern outpost of the Sokoto Empire which was founded and rose to greatness in the first decade of the 19th century. It was from Sokoto that Modibbo Adama, the eponymous founder of the kingdom of Adamawa, received the Flag of the South. ” He was a Fulani of the Ba’a clan and after first making his headquarters at Gurin and then at Song, finallv founded Yola in 1840. From him the present Emir is descended. 36. The partial rehabilitation of the kingdom of Adamawa, effected by the Milner-Simon agreement of 1919, has been welcomed with enthusiasm by the District Headmen and their people. It is confidently expected that revival of historic associations will do much to st abilise conditions and to ensure progressive and harmonious development. 37. In the districts north of the Benue much attention has been devoted to the training of District and Village Chiefs and to the inculcation of a sense of responsibility, the object in view being to make them realise that they are important and vital parts of the administra­ tive machine. The District Heads have been advised to delegate as much authority as pos­ sible to their Village Heads and it has been explained to them how much more efficient will be the administration of the whole if Village Heads are allowed to administer their parts. This advice is beginning to bear fruit, as most of the Chiefs are extremely intelligent and many of them are willing to grasp new ideas of administration when they realise that decentralisa­ tion does not in any way impair their authority. 38. The chief task, however, in this area is among the backward pagans, and touring among them has been practically continuous. Many of their villages had not been visited by a European since before the Great War and at least one had never previously been visited. It is little w'onder, therefore, that they are in so backward a state and that at present they lack confidence. Though it has not been possible to visit every village, ii is possible to state that the Political Officer has interviewed some of the people of every village and established contact with them, that the confidence of every village visited has been gained and founda­ tions of future efficient administration laid. With two exceptions, and these not due to recal­ citrance, every village has paid something in tax and it was very rarely that distraint had to be resorted to. An encouraging sign is that more and more pagans make use of the Native Courts for settling their differences. Owing to the difficult nature of the country and previous neglect, it will be years before such practices as slavery, with ordeal, clan fights, blood feuds and wife stealing are entirely eradicated, but a satisfactory beginning has been made. 39. There was only one case in which armed force had to be used to quell opposition. This occurred at Dido in Michika District. Dido is a large village which had for some time been a terror to its neighbours. It had not been visited by a European for over twelve years, when a messenger was sent to ask some of the people to come and see the Political Officer. The messenger wras driven out and pursued, and it was necessary to go to his assistance with a Police escort. The escort was attacked and the Political Officer was compelled to open fire on the pagans. Though the opposition took some time to overcome only about four casual­ ties occurred among the attackers. The day after the attack, representatives came to offer submission and to apologise, and eventually the village was visited and friendly relations esta­ blished with the people. It is hoped that there will be few, if any, of such cases in the future. 40. The Adamawa area south of the Benue now consists of the three districts of Nassarao, Toango, and Numberu. 4 1 . Nassarao. — This district continues to show steady progress and is developing more rapidly than the other districts. This is not only due to the fact that it is in close proxim ity to the more advanced districts of the Yola Emirate, b u t also to the fact that the late District Head, Maigari (Muhamman Bello), was keen, capable and energetic. He has gained the good­ will of the pagan population by sympathetic treatment, with the result that, he is r e s p e c t e d and his orders obeyed. The pagans, although friendly and law-abiding, are perhaps a little shy on seeing a European. This shyness, however, is now wearing off and under British rule will soon disappear, as they will have the opportunity of becoming accustomed to a E uropean in their midst. 42. O n the promotion of Muhamman Bello, District Head of Nassarao, to the appointment of Emir of Yola, it was necessary to select a suitable man to take his place as District Heai. The former Wakili of Nassarao was recently, after a period of probation, formally appointee — 9 — by the Emir. He appears to be a wise choice and bids fair to carry on the sound work of his predecessor. 43. Toango. — The District Head, Ardo Usumanu, shows increasing efficiency in bis work. He has now full control over his Village Heads and his administrative ability is undoub­ tedly increasing. As in the case of many Fulani Chiefs, he has been averse to delegating authority to the Village Heads, but he now seems to have realised the importance of such a course and is acting accordingly. 44. The Assistant District Officer has recently undertaken the assessment of this district, in the course of which the Tsugu Hill pagans were visited. These people, who had not pre­ viously been visited in their high villages by a European, received the assessing party in a friendly manner. Four days were spent in visiting and counting their villages and measuring their farms. In the evenings dances were held and the people appeared pleased at the visit. Opportunity was taken to impress on them once more that witchcraft killings and ordeals were illegal and they all stated that this was now understood. 45. Numberu. — The people of this district, which is small and poor, are quiet and law- abiding. Much progress in this small district cannot be expected with its small population and unimportant situation. The District Head does his best, but he is much handicapped in his administrative duties by his age, now eighty-four. He is beloved and respected by his people. 46. The general state of the Southern Adamawa area during the period under review has continued to be satisfactory, and substantial progress has been made. The District and Village Administrations continue to improve. The Headmen of village areas are gaining confidence, and the District Heads now realise how very important the co-operation of the former is in establishing a sound administration within their districts. The progress is very satisfactory considering the comparatively short period which has elapsed since these people were subject to a German administrative policy which made no attempt to preserve the chain of responsi­ bility by fostering and encouraging Village Heads. The latter are now developing adminis­ trative ability, and are now beginning to realise that they are important factors in the administrative machinery of the district in which they live. 47. The political situation has been satisfactory. There have been no factious elements and the people appear to be happy and contented, and the good will which exists between the pagan and Fulani peoples is a pleasing feature.

(iii) G r u m p a o a n d Y e r b i D is t r ic t s .

48. These two small independent pagan districts are for administrative convenience included in the Numan pagan division of the Yola Province. The area of Grumpao district is approximately 100 square miles, and that of Yebbi 50. The former contains a population of 4,221 and Yebbi 1,162. The people belong to the Chamba tribe. 49. Grumpao is administered, under the District Officer, Numan, by a District Head who receives a salary of £24 per annum, to whom is attached a Scribe at £18 per annum. The district is quiet and orderly, and was visited in August. 1924, by the District Officer, Numan, who took the opportunity of visiting some rather inaccessible hill villages which lie in the moun­ tain range forming the southern boundary of the district of Toango, and which had not been visited by a European officer since the days of the German occupation. 50. Y ebbi. — This district is administered by a District Head on a salary of £24 per annum. He appears to have a fair hold over his people who are quiet and law-abiding. There is nothing of importance to record ; they pay their taxes without trouble and there are few complaints.

(iv) G a s h a k a .

51. During the year under review the Gashaka district has progressed and the District Head, the Sarkin Gashaka, has displayed a considerable amount of energy, and has done every­ thing in his power to assist in the sound administration of his district. o2. Its great extent (5,000 square miles), its thin population, the mountainous character °t most of it and its distance from the nearest administrative headquarters in British t erritory make it rather inaccessible. 53. Up to 1st June the district was administered as part of the Yola Province, but on that date it was handed over for administrative purposes to the adjoining Province oi Muri, c,nd is now under the supervision of the officer-in-charge of the Muri Emirate. 54. In July, the District Head, having had some trouble with one of his Village Heads, \ !r9n* name^ I laman Jorda, who for some time previously had been showing signs of dis­ obedience and who finally attempted to throw off his authority altogether, went on his own initiative and arrested the recalcitrant headman. The whole affair was gone into at Jalingo 111 a lengthy inquiry ; the charges against Haman Jorda were established, and he was handed °ver to the Native Court, found guilty and sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. The enquiry held at Jalingo showed that the man Haman Jorda was a nonentity and appeared to r 5'fe little or no influence over the pagans in the midst of whom he was living. The people 0 his own village were mostly Fulanis and Hausa traders. — 10 —

55. No other events of any significance have occurred during this year—the pagan tribes have peacefully pursued their agricultural avocations, and the Fulani herdsmen continued to pasture their cattle on the abundant grazing available.

(v) T h e Ca m e r o o n s P r o v in c e .

56. The Cameroons Province is administered in the same way mulalis mutandis as any of the Southern Provinces of Nigeria under the Lieutenant-Governor responsible to the Gover­ nor of Nigeria. For administrative purposes the Province is divided into four divisions, viz. Bamenda, Mamfe, Kumba, and Victoria. 57. The geographical distribution of administrative work may be outlined as follows :—• (a) At Baea, Provincial Headquarters, the Resident-in-charge of the Province, respon­ sible to the Lieutenant-Governor of the Southern Provinces, Nigeria, assisted by one Assis­ tant District Officer in direct charge of the prison, the station and head transport. The only other officers having their headquarters at Buea are the Inspector of Schools, normally on tour in the Province, and the Commissioner of Police in direct charge of the Police depot, and in indirect charge of the detachments at Bamenda, Mamfe, Kumba, Victoria, and Tiko. (b) Victoria Division.— One Assistant District Officer-in-charge responsible to the Resi­ dent, assisted by one junior Assistant District Officer in charge of the LocalTreasury at Victoria, of the station and transport. Victoria is also the headquarters within the province of the Public Works Department, the Marine Department, the Customs Department, and the Posts and Telegraphs Department. The Medical Officer-in-charge of the Victoria and Kumba Divisions also resides there. The Headquarters of the Plantations Management is at Bota, closé to Victoria. (c) Kumba Division.—One District Officer or Assistant District Officer in charge of the Division, assisted when possible by one junior Assistant District Officer. (d) Mamfe Division.—One District Officer or Assistant District Officer in charge of the Division, assisted by one, rarely two, junior Assistant District Officers. Mamfe is also the headquarters of the Medical Officer in charge of the Division. (e) Bamenda Division.—One District Officer or Assistant District Officer in charge of the Division, assisted by one junior Assistant District Officer, rarely two, and still more rarely by three Assistant District Officers. Bamenda is also the headquarters of a Medical Officer and was a station for a company of the West African Frontier Force. The troops were, however, permanently removed from the province in December, 1924. Throughout the province all judicial and treasury work is performed by the Administra­ tive Officers. 58. No English subordinate officers are employed by the Administrative Service or Edu­ cation Department ; two only are employed by the Public Works Department as Inspectors of Works at salaries under £500 per annum, and one by the Telegraphs Department. 59. The very varied population of the Province is docile and law-abiding. Taxes are paid readily and without evasion. Owing to a good cocoa harvest and better prices, trade improved towards the end of the year. No coercive measures of any kind have been found necessary, and no occasion has arisen for a show of force either by military or police. 60. Bamenda.—This, the largest of the four Divisions, received an addition of territory on 1st January, 1924, by the inclusion of the Kaka-Ntem district, formerly the southern apex of the mandated territory to the south of the Benue, which increased t he area of the Bamenda Division to some 8,000 square miles, or about half the size of Switzerland. The estimated population is 197,872, or nearly twenty-five to the square mile, but, with the careful census that is now in progress, district by district, the total is likely to be considerably augmented. 61. This Division comprises the best as well as the most primitive types of people in the Province. The former are those who were driven from the north-east by Fulani pressure and entered the Division probably early in the 19th century. Coming from the open fields they were comparatively free from the crass superstition that the gloom of the forest breeds in the minds of the forest people. Living, too, in a country open to attack they had been obliged to concentrate in larger communities where they were able to evolve a comparatively advanced system of government. A good example is the Banso clan, numbering some 15,000, a self- contained unit, headed by a chief of considerable administrative talent. The ancient native institutions have been studied, and all that is best in them officially recognised and incorpo­ rated in the system of Native Administration which has been approved for that area by the Governor. This little state had its Prime Minister, its War Chief, Treasurer, and other subor­ dinate officials responsible to the Chief for the different villages, while order was maintained by a small police force. 62. On the other hand, on the western border one finds the aboriginal tribes of the forest belt, unorganised communities little above the family stage of development, who were driven there by the more virile and united tribes from the east and south. Protected by the ’ these small communities maintained an independent and isolated existence, cut off from t civilising influence of intercourse with the outside world. Here they practised cannibans and were slaves to the ever-present fear of witchcraft. Witchcraft still holds many of them — 11 — in bondage, but is yielding steadily to mission influence, while cannibalism had begun to die out under the influence of the eastern tribes before it was sternly suppressed by the Germans. It is now practically stamped out , though it may be occasionally and surreptit iously practised among the Ngi. 63. The main political work, then, of a constructive nature during the past two years has been to take each ethnic group separately, inquire into its past organisation and institu­ tions, and adapt them as far as possible as the basis of future administration without too sudden or violent a break with the past. No stereotyped system of government has been laid down to which each native administrative district must conform. Such a method would not be suitable for so wide a field or conditions so various. For, on the one hand, there is the autocratic semi-monarchical system found in the districts of the bigger chiefs, and, on the other hand, democratic, almost socialistic, groups of families with little or no cohesion. Whereas in the former the government is now through a single salaried chief assisted by a council of elders, holding ancient offices, in the latter there was less to build upon, so that the Native Court has become the executive as well as the judicial authority and is composed of heads of family groups, of whom all are more or less on an equal footing. Progress on these lines must necessarily be slow, as exhaustive research into the history and customs of each tribal district takes place before proposals for future administration are formulated. So far five districts have been treated in this way with results wrhich entirely justify the policy pursued. 64. M amfe.—The Mamfe Division is about 6,000 square miles in extent, with a population of 62,169, but this figure must remain unreliable until the whole division is assessed. 65. The Native Administration of the Mamfe Division at present consists of the Central Administration of the District Officer with the occasional advice of the leading salaried Chiefs assembled in a District Meeting ; the seven Native Authorities, having executive powers co­ extensive with the seven Native Court areas ; the Clan Councils, that have been disclosed in the course of assessment, and the Village Councils or assembly of elders in village groups. This is the skeleton framework, which in the future will give way to a Judicial Council with Native Authority powers over the whole Division, while the Native Authorities will consist of the lead­ ing members of the Clan Councils and the Clan Councils will be the collectors of taxes and the arbitrators between Clansmen, the Village Councils undertaking all local administration within the village group. 66. In the process of assessment during the past year it has been found that at the advent of the Germans the family was the unit of existence among the forest peoples, and that the village group in many cases sprang from the conditions of European control. The Village Council nowT is, and must for some time remain, the vital unit of local administration. As to the Clan, generally speaking, it was an association of families for religious purposes, w'hich occasionally forced upon its leading elders the decision of disputes likely to lead to tamily feuds, and, under exceptional pressure, took joint defensive or offensive action. But under pressure of new conditions clan consciousness has grown, and it is the aim of the administra­ tion to foster this growth. The Clan is the core of community development, for, until the Cl a has been traced, the community has no being and can have no future. 67. Of the seven Native Court areas five have now been assessed, and thirty-five chiefs are receiving salaries. If the future success of the policy of Native Administrations can be judged by the keenness of the Village and Clan Councils in all matters of local administration and by the readiness with which all members of the community have brought their disputes before these Councils, the outlook is most hopeful. At the District Meetings a public opinion has been fostered, and the representatives of the Native Authorities have expressed themselves candidly on such general subjects as the revision of Native Court sentences by the Divisional Officer, the proper distribution of the stat utory 10 per cent, of the Poll Tax, big game preser­ vation, trade facilities, and adultery prosecutions. 68. A quantity of fresh data on the primary customs has been amassed, and the collection of dowry, funeral, and inheritance customs for use in the Native Courts is nearing completion. 69. Kumba.— In the Kumba Division the assessment of the whole Division has been completed, and on the facts disclosed a certain amount of re-organisation is being carried out . New Native Court areas have been established and all areas have been adjusted more closely to ethnic conditions. The Kumba Division has an area of 4,394 square miles of dense forest- covered country, carrying an accurately censused populat ion of 67,022, or 15.25 per square mile. The people are as much broken up as is their country, and political or clan consciousness scarcely extends beyond the village group. This area was constituted a permanent Division, with at least one Administrative Officer in charge, in 1921, and in 1922 the policy of Native Adminis­ tration was applied. By the end of 1923 the w'hole Division had been assessed and the detailed information collected on the spot—demographic, historical, ethnological, economic, etc.— embodied in assessment reports or gazetteers of each unit as ethnically determined. On the information so obtained a native administrative re-organisation scheme was approved in Octo­ ber, 1923, and the decisions come to in discussion between the Resident and the District Officer in charge of the Division were embodied in subsequent memoranda and approved by the Resi­ dent. On the scheme outlined in these memoranda the work of organising native adminis­ trations has proceeded during 1924, and it has been found unnecessary to deviate from original Proposals to any marked degree. — 12 —

70. The Division has now been divided into ten Native Court areas corresponding as nearlv as possible to independent ethnic groupings, and presidentsandmembers, chosen by the people themselves, have been appointed with stipends aggregating £533. In addition, non-stipendiarv members have been designated to each Native Court who receive sitting fees for each attend­ ance on the bench. 71. It is too early as yet to give an expression ol opinion regarding the re-organisation, but it generally appeared to be welcomed as safeguarding the mutual independence in all local matters of each group, and as providing a means of self-expression for a large number of the people’s true leaders as opposed to leaders arbitrarily selected by the District Officer. If all the officials appointed continue to support and work for the scheme in the spirit in which they accepted it, it is hoped a successful course may have been set for the years to come. 72. The southern Divisional boundary has been slightly re-adjusted so as to include the Bambuko area within the Kumba Division. This area of 360 square miles and a sparse popula­ tion of 867 inhabitants lies to the west of the Cameroons mountain, and was thus found diffi­ cult of access from Victoria. 73. Victoria.—The Victoria Division has an area of 838 square miles with a total African population of 30,965, or 37 per square mile. The European population consists ol thirty-nine males and nine females, almost all of British nationality. The Division is divided for adminis­ trative purposes into three native districts each under a District Head. One tribal area, that of the Bakweri, forms roughly three-quarters of the Division exclusive of plantations. The Native Administration in this Division is only in its infancy, and no rapid development can be looked for. The Bakweri seem to have developed no higher unit of administration than the family. No clan acknowledging one individual has been discovered, and it seems unlikely that any will now be found. Even the head of the family has, as a rule, no very great control over its members. The close contact with native foreigners, Dualas, Monrovians, Sierra Leoneans, etc., and with Europeans has exercised a disintegrating effect on the Bakweri, who form the bulk of the population. This small tribe, pushed and driven down to the coast in past times by more virile people, is of poor physique and lacking in initiative and courage. It is even doubtful whether they have the spirit to attempt to stand up for themselves ; they must needs be protected to a greater extent than other communities. The main benefit brought to them by the system of Native Administration is that it enables half of the direct taxes paid by them, together with the tees and fines collected by the four Native Courts, to be expended locally for the direct benefit of the contributors.

IV.—JUDICIAL.

74. The judicial system follows that of Nigeria except that, as yet, there is no area to which the Supreme Court Ordinance (Chapter 3 of the Laws of Nigeria) applies. The Provin­ cial Courts, which exercise complete jurisdiction over all persons, native and non-native, are presided over by the Residents of the provinces concerned. Each District officer and assis­ tant District officer is ex-officio a Commissioner, and exercises according to his status the juris­ diction laid down by Chapter 4 of the Laws of Nigeria. In all criminal and civil matters the Resident has full powers. A District officer or assistant District officer in charge of a division has jurisdiction in civil matters where the debt, damage or claim does not exceed £50, and in criminal matters can inflict a fine of £50 and/or order imprisonment for two years, and a flog­ ging of twenty-four lashes if the case is one wrhere flogging is allowed under the code. Other Commissioners can try civil cases where the claim involved does not exceed £25, and in criminal cases can order a fine of £25 and/or three months’ imprisonment. All sentences of imprisonment in excess of six months, sentences of corporal punishment exceeding twelve strokes, and sentences involving a fine exceeding £50, require confirmation, in the case of the Northern Cameroons, by the Lieutenant-Governor of the Northern Provinces and, in the case of the Cameroons Province, by the Chief Justice. The confirming officer is furnished with a full copy of the proceedings, together with a report by the officer trying the case. All capital sentences are reviewed by the Chief Justice, and if confirmed by him are considered by the Governor-in-Council, who decides whether or not the prerogative of mercy shall be exercised. The Criminal Law' is the Criminal Code of Nigeria (Chapter 21). The Civil Law, in so far as it is not contained in local Ordinances, is the English Common Law, and doctrines of equity and statutes of general application which were in force in England in 1900, modified by the proviso that British Courts shall, in civil causes affecting natives, recognise native law and customs when not repugnant to natural justice and humanity, especially in matters relating to marriage, land and inheritance. 75. In addition to trying cases in Court, the Political Officers deal with a large number of petty cases which usually arise in the form of complaints. The majority of these cases are settled by executive action or are sent to the Native Courts for adjudication. The general aim of the Administration is to limit the activities of the Provincial Courts to cases which cannot suitably be dealt with by the Native Courts. 76. Native Courts.—The powers and constitution of the Native Courts are regulated and defined by the Native Courts Ordinance (Chapter 5 of the Laws of Nigeria). The C ourts are set up by the Residents to meet the needs of the different districts, and are constituted warrant approved by the Lieutenant-Governor (in the case of Grade “ A” Courts by the — 13 —

Governor). The warrant states the area of the Court’s jurisdiction, defines the powers c o n f e r re d upon it, and names the chiefs appointed as members. The powers of the Native Courts are as follows : Grade A .—Full powrers in civil and criminal cases, but no sentence of death may be carried out until it has been confirmed by the Governor. Grade B .—Civil actions in which the debt, demand or damages do not exceed £50. Criminal causes which can be adequately punished by two years’ imprisonment, 24 lashes, or a fine of £50. Grade C.—Civil actions in which the debt, demand or damages do not exceed £20 in the Northern Cameroons, or £10 in the Cameroons Province. Criminal causes which can be adequately punished by six months’ imprison­ ment, or in the case of theft of farm produce or live stock by twelve months’ imprisonment, 24 lashes, or a fine of £10. Grade £>.—Civil actions in which the debt, demand or damages do not exceed £10 in the Northern Cameroons, or £5 in the Cameroons Province. Criminal causes which can be adequately punished by three months’ imprison­ ment, 12 lashes, or a fine of £5. 77. In the Dikwa Emirate there are eight Native Courts. The two principal courts, those of the Sheikh-in-Council and of the Chief Kadi, are in Dikwa town, the remaining six being in the districts. The Chief Kadi reviews the work of the District Courts monthly in conjunction with the Political Officer. The law in practice is that of the Maliki School of Moslem Law. The book chiefly used is the Risalah of Ibn Abu Zeid, while the Mukhtasar of Khalil and the Tuhfat ul Hukam of Ibu Asim are used as books of reference. The Political Officer is conversant with Arabic, and can refer to these books. In addition, the specially prepared Maliki Law in English by Ruxton is used by him. 78. The number of cases heard in the Dikwa Native Courts during the year was 1,125, of which 134 were criminal and 991 civil. 79. In the Adamawa districts of the Yola Emirate there are nine courts under native Kadis. The chief Kadi’s court at Yola is a court of appeal from the District Courts. The system is working well, although at first the chiefs were inclined to ciing to judicial functions which they had previously exercised. Pagan assessors are attached to each court to advise the Kadi on points of pagan law and custom, which are administered concurrently with Moham­ medan Law when pagans are parties to a case, always provided that such law and custom are not repugnant to humanity. 80. The Kadi of the Toango Court has recently inaugurated a system of periodical sittings in the more remote villages. The results have been satisfactory, and it is hoped by this means to give the people of the more inaccessible areas an opportunity of availing themselves, to an increasing extent, of the advantages of the Court. 81. The number of cases tried during 1924 by the Adamawa Courts was 833, of which 325 were criminal and 508 civil. 82. There are no Native Courts in the small districts of Grumpao and Yebbi. For judi­ cial purposes they come within the jurisdiction of the Kadi of Numan. No case of serious crime has been reported. 83. There is one Native Court in Gashaka district, but the amount of judicial business done therein is small. 84. In the Cameroons Province five additional Native Courts have been created during 1924, bringing the total to twenty-eight. There are now one Court of grade “B” (an appeal court for civil cases only and for determining cases between chiefs) ; four of grade “ C”, and twenty-three of grade “ D” . Some of the grade “ D” Courts have extended powers in civil cases up to a limit of £25. A native clerk is attached to each Court, and his duties include the keeping of records and accounts and the compilation of the returns incidental to the Court. 85. Appeal lies from the Native Courts to the political officers, who have the power to transfer cases to the Provincial Courts at any stage in the proceedings. Close supervision is exercised over the Native Courts in order to make them effective instruments of justice. At the same time the policy is to avoid unnecessary interference which might weaken initiative and the sense of responsibility. The object is rather to make the Native and Provincial Courts component parts oi one judicial system and to relieve the latter of work which can better be done by the natives themselves.

V.—ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF.

86. Northern Cameroons.—During 1924 the Dikwa Emirate was in charge of a District Officer, assisted by an Assistant District Officer. The District Officer is under the orders of resident oi the Bornu Province. The two Adamawa areas are administered by the District Uiucer in charge of the Yola Emirate who is usually assisted by two Assistant District Officers, wumpao and Yebbi Districts are administered by the District Officer in charge of the Numan division of the Yola Province. Both the District Officers in charge of the Yola Emirate — 14 - and the Numan Division are subordinate to the Resident of the Yola Province. Gashaka is administered, under the general supervision of the Resident of the Muri Province, by the District Officer in charge of the Muri Division with the help of an Assistant District Officer. 87. It should be noted that the activities of the officers posted to the independent divi­ sion of Dikwa are exclusively confined to that division. The officers in charge of the remaining areas are not solely occupied with the supervision of the mandated territory, but combine with it the supervision of adjacent Nigerian districts. The Residents direct policy and them­ selves visit the mandated territory when opportunity occurs. 88.—The Cameroons Province.—This Province constitutes an administrative unit in charge of a Senior Resident, assisted by a staff of sixteen District and Assistant District Officers, of whom an average of 10.5 were actually on duty throughout the year. 89. The report on the Fifth (Extraordinary) Session of the Permanent Mandates Com­ mission contained a request for further information concerning the numbers and duties of administrative officers employed in the mandated territory. The numbers have accordingly been set out in the preceding paragraphs. 90. The duties of administrative officers may be summarised as follows :■— In the first place they are responsible for the maintenance of law and order in the areas under their charge. Every military patrol has to be accompanied by a Political Officer (see, for example, the operations described in paragraphs 27 to 29). In the absence of a Police Officer—and only one Police Officer is stationed in the British Cameroons—they are in charge of the Government Police and are thus responsible for maintaining the efficiency and discipline of the detachments ot that force. They are also in charge of Government prisons. 91. The Residents are Presidents of the Provincial Courts of the various Provinces. District and Assistant District Officers are Commissioners of the same Courts. As a body, therefore, the Political Officers are responsible for the administration of justice in the British Courts in the mandated territory. 92. Political Officers are also charged with the supervision of the local Government Treasuries. They are in control of the cash and have to account for the receipt and expendi­ ture of Government monies. 93. They have to arrange for the transport ot Government stores and lor the transport of Government officers on tour. 94. In places where no officers of the Public Works Department are stationed—that is to say, in the far greater part of the territory—they have to superintend the repair and construction of roads and buildings. 95. One of the most exacting and important of a Political Officer’s duties is assessment. And here it may be observed that by “ assessment ” is not meant the mere computation of the direct taxes which a district or community can fairly be required to pay. The subjects of inquiry comprise the history of the district ; the tribal and social institutions oi the inhabitants, their languages, customs and mode of life ; fauna, flora, and sylvan products ; methods of farming, industries and trade. Assessment in short means an attempt to ascertain and record all that is known about the area under investigation. The resulting reports are valuable repositories of information which serve as the basis of future policy. The work is laborious and demands infinite patience. One district after another is taken in Hand, the object being to arrive at a point at which the whole of the territory may be said to be completely assessed. In a sense, however, that point is never fully attained, for increasing knowledge reveals gaps in the earlier work which can only be filled by supplementary investigations described as “ re-assessment. ” 96. Vis-à-vis the Native Administrations the Political Officer is not merely guide, phil°' sopher, and friend. He inspects and supervises the whole machinery of government. He operations of the Native Courts have to be carefully watched and their returns checked. W® has to scrutinise recommendations for appointment to the various offices, be they those o village headman, gaoler, or judge. The Native Administration, Treasuries, Police, pris01^. and buildings and the collection of taxes are only examples of other matters over which he has to exercise close supervision. 97. Finally, the Political Officer has constantly to be on tour, not infrequently under conditions of discomfort. He must be accessible to all and sundry, and be ever on the wa c i to detect and suppress injustice and oppression. 98. Staffs of other Government Departments.—In the Cameroons Province the tollownjc departments are represented by European officers, the senior officer being directly responsi ( to the Head of his Department in Lagos :—Medical, 3 ; Customs, 1 ; Marine, 2 ; Police, Posts and Telegraphs, 1 ; Public Works, 3 ; Education, 1. 99. No European officers, other than those of the Administrative Service, are permanently stationed in the Northern Cameroons. T h e Dikw'a Emirate has, however, been visile Medical, Educational, and Military Officers from Maiduguri. - 15 -

VI.—SLAVERY.

100. The slav e trade in the sen se of the enslavement and sale of persons previously free is largely confined to the hill districts of the Northern Cameroons. The trade, such as it is, consists for the most part of the seizure or purchase of pagan children for sale to Fulani or Arabs. The stringent measures taken to suppress the traffic have been attended with no little success. In the Dikwa region Police posts h a v e been established in the neighbourhood of the hills ; routes and hiding places formerly used by slave traders are carefully watched ; the vigi­ lance of the District and Village Headmen has greatly increased and has resulted in the capture of at least one batch of the Fulani traders and the releasç of eight children. Political Officers, when on tour in the hills, give special attention to the repression of the evil. Co-operation with the French authorities has also been continuous and fruitful. The Resident of Bornu Province reports that in several cases enslaved persons h a v e been returned to their homes through the agency of French officers, and that information has been exchanged as to suspected slave-dealers and their spheres of operations. Similarly, the Resident of Yola Province reports that information concerning two cases of enslavement from the British Sphere was given to the French authorities, who tried the offenders and released the victims. 101. In Dikwa there were only four criminal prosecutions (as compared with twenty- five in the first year of the Administration) for slave dealing. In the Yola area three persons were tried and convicted for kidnapping. In Gashaka there were no convictions during the year and the traffic may be said to be practically non-existent. The Resident of the Cameroons Province reports that there were ten prosecutions in the Provincial Courts, involving twenty- two persons, of whom t hirteen were convicted. In general, the trade in slaves has been reduced to small dimensions. It is now attended by so great risks that its disappearance can only be a matter of time. 102. Domestic slavery is, of course, on an entirely different footing from enslavement and the slave trade. The measures taken for the gradual emancipation of slaves, as prescribed by the Mandate, were discussed in detail at the Fifth (Extraordinary) Session of the Permanent Mandates Commission. Briefly the position is that the legal status of slavery is abolished, and all persons in the Rritish Cameroons have been declared by Ordinance to be free. No British official and no Rritish Court can deal with any man as other than free. At the same time so ingrained is the age-long notion of slavery that it has been found to be advisable in some cases to allow the Native Courts to provide persons of servile birth with the means of ridding themselves of the stigma attaching to their origin. Recourse to those means is purely volun­ tary and is taken in order to satisfy native public opinion. The process consists of an appli­ cation to the Native Court for the issue of a Certificate of Freedom consequent upon an arrange­ ment, usually involving the payment of a sum of money, between the ex-slave and the ex­ master. Such arrangements are invariably made on very easy terms. For example, in Dikwa the amount paid is never more than £3 and may be much less. A proposal on the part of an ex-slave to redeem himself cannot be refused. If the ex-master attempts to refuse it, the Native Court may and does declare the ex-slave free without further ado, for it is a pious duty to promote emancipation. 103. Reference may here be made to a sentence in paragraph 3 on page 5 of the 1923 Report, which may possibly be capable of misinterpretation. It was there stated that “ all persons in the Mandated territory having been declared free, there is no question of jurisdic­ tion of Moslem Courts in slavery cases. ” The meaning is that it is not within the powrer of the Native Courts to enforce slavery. Their function in the cases referred to in the last pre­ ceding paragraph is merely to assist in promoting emancipation. 104. By some error in editing, a meaningless sentence crept into paragraph 18 on page 41 of the Annual Report for 1923. The sentence reads : “ There are a number of persons in the British Sphere, w ho, in spite of public opinion which allots to them an inferior social position, voluntarily accepted a cont inued condition of quasi-slavery in 1917.” The clause as originally written was : “ the number of persons looked down upon by the general public as being of inferior or servile status is 1917.” These persons are in native public opinion slaves or slave- born, and some clans will not admit inter-marriage of their daughters with the slave-born, but since 1916 no District Officer has recognised any legal or social status in such people other than the normal one of free persons protected under the British Mandate.

VII.— LABOUR.

105. Labour problems, in the usually accepted sense of the term, have not arisen in the Cameroons. Where almost the entire population is either peasant or pastoral, and where ample land is available everywhere, such a thing as industrial economic compulsion does not exist. The questions put under Sub-section (a) of Section II of the Questionnaire have, there- °re, no practical application to the mandated territory. 106. Forced labour for purposes other than essential public works and services is non­ existent. The essential objects for which compulsion is occasionally applied are the customary clearing (but not the construction) of roads, the supply of carriers for Government transport, aijd, in the Cameroons Province, certain casual services required by the provincial administration. — 16 —

107. All permanent labour is voluntary. To this rule there is no exception. There is too, nothing in the nature of corvée. Labour in lieu of taxation, which was recognised bv the German administration, has been entirely abolished. 108. In paragraph 22 on page 42 of the report for 1923 it wras stated that in the Cameroons Province head transport was disliked by the people. Conditions have already begun to change. In 1924 no difficulty was experienced in obtaining all the carriers required by the locai admi­ nistration. The move of the garrison from Bamenda to Abakaliki (Nigeria) necessitated 900 carriers for fourteen days’ transport to Ikom where they were relieved. Head transport at Bamenda has become almost a popular vocation. Numbers of men voluntarily spend a lar»e part of their time plying for hire as carriers for Government. 109. In paragraph 24 (page 43) of the 1923 report the building of sôhool-houses and teachers’ quarters wras enumerated among the unpaid services exacted by the Native Admi­ nistrations of the Cameroons Province as a condition preliminary to the opening of a school. It has now been decided that the Native Administrations shall pay lull value for all such buildings. 110. In the Cameroons Province the number of prosecutions for failure to obey the orders of native authorities in the matter of providing labour has decreased Irom 345 in 1923 to 263 in 1924. 111. In the Northern Cameroons there are no commercial firms and no plantations. In the Cameroons Province there are three English firms employing a very small number of shop and beach boys and a few labourers, all of whom are obtained voluntarily. The relations between employer and employed are regulated by the Master and Servant’s Ordinance (cap. 70). No dispute arising out of this Ordinance has come before the Courts. 112. The only large employer of labour in 1924 w7as the Plantations Management, a Govern­ ment Department which, during 1924, maintained ex-enemy private property in the Cameroons Province. The number ol labourers employed varied from ten to twelve thousand. Plan­ tation labour is entirely voluntary. No executive order, no pressure direct or indirect, forces any man to work. The position in short is that, attracted by the reports of a returned fellow villager, men voluntarily present themselves for employment in order to acquire the necessary dowrry for a wife under the conditions of free board and lodging and easy work. Men are absolutely free to leave after the monthly pay-day ; if they leave before without notice, they suffer a loss of pay. Employers obtain labour and retain the services of their employees solely by means of the conditions prevailing in that employment. The conditions under which contented labour is found and retained bear little resemblance to those prevailing m industrialised countries where the rate of wages is perhaps the chief condition. In the Came­ roons it is rather the cheerful personality of the European manager or employer in direct con­ tact with his men, the abundance of food provided, opportunities given for social intercourse, plays and dances, and for fulfilling religious duties : these are the sort of conditions that count at the present moment. 113. On the plantations the nature of the work is the ordinary cultivation and harvesting work required on an agricultural estate. Morning roll-call is at 5.30 a.m., mid-day rest 11.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m., evening roll-call at 5.30 p.m. Where the work is easily regulated and checked he labourer is free to leave as soon as he has finished his task. As the cacao drying houses nd oil plant are only working during some six months of the year, there is but very little ndoor work. The w'ork indoors is nearly all done during the day and requires only a few labourers, so there is no occasion for regular shifts for night work beyond the watchmen and a few' firemen. 114. The rate of pay on the plantations is 4 l/2d. per diem in addition to all rations issued by th e estate which also provides the necessary cooks. These rations are reckoned as of a nominal value of 1 %d. per diem. The rate of pay may seem low, but as the estates have been worked with very little supervision it has not been possible to obtain anything like full tasks, with the result that work has not really been cheap. In the future when the estates are worked by private owners and labour fully supervised, a higher rate of pay will probably come about, accompanied by a better output on the part of the labourer than is at present the case. 115. There are hospitals on each of the larger estates, which are under the supervision and direction of the Medical Officers at Buea and Victoria. To each of these hospitals one or more dressers are attached with a supply of medicines and bandages, and they attend to minor injuries and ailments. The more serious cases are sent to Ihe native hospitals at Buea and Victoria wrhere they are treated directly by the Medical Officers. 116. The labourers on an estate are grouped together under headmen of the same clan. Labourers are free to choose u n d e r which headman they will work ; the latter is responsible for looking after each man in his gang, reporting when he is a b se n t or sick, etc. H eadm en are paid according to the number of men who wish to work under them ; thus the contentment ot labour depends largely on the headmen, who also are the agents, unpaid as such, who attrac further men from their clan or village to work in their gang. The more labourers the headman attracts and retains, the more h e is paid. 117. The labourers, being absolutely free, can go to another estate or return to their country at any time they like. As they are encouraged to bring their wives and children, man) have remained on the estates since they came under the control of the Mandatory Power. e average number employed during the past year has been about ten thousand men and lacs. It is not possible to say what is the average time spent by labourers on any one estate, u — 17 — under present conditions of housing, provision of plenty of free food, encouragement of family and social life, the number of men settling on the estates is continually increasing. 118. The sale of the Plantations, mentioned in paragraph 147, will entail the winding-up of the Plantations Department and the substitution of private management. It will be for the latter to ensure the continuance of the present favourable conditions of labour, if the supply of workers is to be maintained.

VIII.—ARMS TRAFFIC.

119. Throughout the mandated territory, traffic in arms and ammunition is practically non-existent. In the Northern Cameroons the number of arms in the possession of natives is negligible. In the Cameroons Province there are about 3,000 flint-lock muzzle-loading guns (Dane guns) in the possession of natives. These weapons, most of which are very old, were licensed under German law. They are used for protecting crops from damage by wild animals and also for making a noise at funerals, weddings, and other feasts. 120. Since 28th Feburary, 1924, the Arms Ordinance (Chapter 132 of the Laws of Nigeria) with its very stringent provisions has been applied to the British Cameroons. 121. The imports of arms and ammunition in 1922, 1923 and 1924 were as follows :—

t Year. Arms. Rounds of Ammunition.

Revolvers. Rifles. Shotguns. Revolver. Rifle. Shotgun.

1922 ...... 17 8 38 795 1,330 7,500' 1923 ...... 8 10 17 524 2,315 7.995 1924 to 10/12/1924 .. 5 1 10 106 275 5,662

122. It is impossible to say how many arms of precision remain at any given time in the mandated territory for the reason that not a few of such arms have already paid duty and been licensed in Nigeria before being brought into the Cameroons. The great majority are imported by Europeans and are usually taken out of the Cameroons by the owners when the latter return to England.

IX.—ALCOHOLIC LIQUOR AND DRUGS.

123. Trade in alcoholic liquor is regulated by the Liquor Ordinance (Chapter 131 of the Laws of Nigeria). 124. The whole of the Northern Cameroons and the Bamenda and Mamfe Divisions of the Cameroons Province are “ prohibited areas. ” In such areas spirits may be neither sold to nor possessed by natives. 125. The manufacture and consumption of native beer are contrary to Islamic law and are, therefore, punished by the Mohammedan Courts if the offender is a Mohammedan. Among the pagans, native-brewed beer is a food quite as much as a beverage. The Ordinances regu­ lating the manufacture and sale of native liquor (Chapters 75 and 76) are not applied to pagan areas. 126. There was but one prosecution under the Liquor Ordinance, in which three convic­ tions were obtained. This occurred in the Cameroons Province. 127. The importation of trade spirits is forbidden by the regulations under the Customs Ordinance. For the purpose of these regulations all spirits are regarded as trade spirits except the lollowing :— (i) Whisky, i.e., a spirit— (a) obtained by distillation from a mash of cereal grains saccharified by the diastase of malt ; and ( b) stored in wood for a period of three years. (ii) Rum, i.e., a spirit— (a) distilled direct from sugar-cane products in sugar-cane growing countries ; and {b) stored in wood for a period of three years. (iii) Brandy, i.e., a spirit— (a) distilled in grape-growing countries from fermented grape juice and from no other materials ; and (b) stored in wood for a period of three years. 18 —

(iv) Gin., i.e., a spirit— (a) produced by distillation from a mixed mash of cereal grains only, saccharified by the diastase of malt, and then flavoured by redistillation with juniper berries and other vegetable ingredients ; and of a brand which has been notified as an approved brand by notice in the Gazette ; or (b) produced by distillation at least three times in a pot-still from a mixed mash of barley, rye and maize saccharified by the diastase of malt ; and then rectified by redistillation in a pot-still after the addition of juniper berries and other vegetable flavouring materials. (v) Spirits imported for scientific purposes. (vi) Drugs and medicinal spirits passed as such by the Comptroller of Customs, and per­ fumed spirits. (vii) Alcoholic bitters, liqueurs, cordials and mixtures passed as such by the Comptroller wrhich are not deemed to be injurious spirits within the meaning of the Liquor Ordinance. (viii) Spirits in miniature bottles imported as bona fide samples in the ordinary course of commercial business. (ix) Methylated and similar spirits totally unfit for use as potable spirits. 128. The importation of alcoholic liquors for the years 1922, 1923, and 1924 were as follows :— 1922 1923 1924 gallons. gallons. gallons Brandy 36 24 37 Whisky 790 593 728 Rum . . • . . 2 11 3 Gin 476 379 1,025 Liqueurs. . 41 30 27 Medicated Spirits 21 66 —- Beer, etc.. . 1,566 3,108 4,356 Wines and Vermouth 729 814 938 Unenumerated Spirits 15 28 27 129. The import duties on liquor set out in paragraph 33 on pages 45 and 46 of the Beport for 1923 are still in force. 130. There are six retailers licensed to sell liquor in the Cameroons Province, also one wine and beer off-licence. The fee for the former licence is £15 per annum and for the latter £1 per annum. 131. The importation and sale of dangerous drugs is regulated by the Drugs and Poisons Ordinance (Chapter 50 of the Laws of Nigeria). In practice such drugs are only imported by the Government for the use of Medical Officers.

X.—LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE.

132. There is absolute liberty of conscience with regard to all religious denominations, whether Christian, Mohammedan or pagan, provided, of course, that no religious or fetish rites are practised which are repugnant to humanity. 133. The Criminal Code provides for the free exercise of religious worship and provides penalties :— (a) for offering violence to officiating ministers of religion ; (b) for disturbing religious worship or offering insult to anyr religion. 134. No Christian missions are at work in the Northern Cameroons. 135. In the Cameroons Province, as last year, there is but one organised Missionary Society at work, that of St. Joseph’s (Roman Catholic) Society of Mill Hill, working from four permanent stations. No Protestant Society is in the field, though the arrival of three mis­ sionaries of the Basle Mission Society is expected. Meanwhile Protestant religious and educa­ tional work has been nominally under the control of the Missions Evangeliques de Paris at Duala. 136. It was stated in paragraph 38 (page 47) of the lasl Report, that “ the German system of spheres of influence assigned to the various missions has not been adhered to. ” It may be as well to give the reasons for this departure from former practice. When the members of the first Missionary Society to arrive since the departure of the German missions in 1914-15 landed in March, 1922, it was found that a large number of Christians of various denominations was scattered throughout the province. Having regard to the terms of the Mandate it was consi­ dered impossible geographically to limit easy access to the Sacraments and religious instruction by means of executive orders which could have no force of law. As “ all Christian mission» meet with the active support of the local administration ” it is not anticipated that any diiii- culties will arise through complete freedom of action being permitted to all recognised mis­ sionary societies. — 19 —

137. The Mission schools under direct European supervision are the Roman Catholic schools at Kumbo, Sase, and Bonjongo. Besides these there are three Protestant schools under no direct European supervision, but which nevertheless are doing their best and are inspected by the Government Inspector of schools, as are the three Roman Catholic schools. As no system of Government grants-in-aid has yet been introduced, and as none of these schools could at present come up to the standard required for a grant, the Native Treasuries have come to their help in the case of the three Roman Catholic schools and one Protestant school (Tiko). These small grants, based on the reports of the Inspector of Schools, and recom­ mended by the Divisional Officers, are authorised by the Resident, and take the shape of allocations of sums of from £'22 to £32 per annum for payment of teachers and purchase of books and school material.

XI.— MILITARY AND POLICE.

138. The late administration had no naval base in what is now the British Sphere, and no fixed permanent military centre or fortress, and the Mandatory Power has established none. In the interior the Germans were wont to build their military and civil stations in defensive positions with crenelated walls and towers against native attack ; these positions have now either been abandoned or the “ fortifications ” razed from sanitary motives. 139. From January to December, 1924, the Mandatory Power maintained one double company of the Nigerian Begiment at the old German military station of Bamenda. In December this company was transferred to Abakaliki (Nigeria). At the end of the year, therefore, no military force wras maintained in the mandated territory. The old German fort at Bamenda is being converted into a large Government school. 140. A military patrol from British Bornu visited the Dikwa Emirate in the circumstances described in paragraph 28 above. 141. No Government Police were maintained in the Dikwa Emirate. In the Adamawa district north of the Benue a small Police escort of twelve rank and file is maintained. Owing to the primitive nature of the hill pagans in this region, it is still advisable to retain the means of making a show of force, although it is seldom necessary to use it. The necessity arose only once in 1924 in the circumstances mentioned in paragraph 39 above. In the Southern Adamawa districts the detachment of Government Police has been withdrawn. Nor is any detachment maintained in Grumpao, Yebbi, or Gashaka. 142. Throughout the whole of the Northern Cameroons, routine police duties, such as effecting of arrests, maintenance of order, etc., are performed by “ dogarai ” or Native Admi­ nistration Police whose only weapons are staves. 143. In the Cameroons Province there is a purely civil police force of 160 men under the command of a British Commissioner of Police. This force is in all respects similar to the police force of Nigeria, though chiefly recruited locally.

XII.— ECONOMIC EQUALITY

144. The principle of economic equality laid down by Article 22 of the Treaty of Versailles is no new one where British administration is concerned. It has been the principle in force in the adjoining Colony of Nigeria ever since its foundation, and this principle has quite natu­ rally been in force in the British Sphere since civil administration began. No differentia­ tion has been made as to the import of goods from ex-enemy countries since the ratification of the Treaty of Peace, and the exclusion of subjects of these countries under Proclamation No. 22 expired in September, 1922. It may be added here that the British Cameroons benefits by the preferential import duty in the United Kingdom on cocoa and coffee grown “ within the British Empire. ” The customs regulations and tariff in force are those of Nigeria. 145. Goods passing in transit by sea or inland navigation are exempt from duty. Imported goods in transit otherwise pay duty at the port of entry, but, if at the point at which they pass to foreign territory they are examined by an authorised officer and found to be intact, a refund of the original duty can be claimed at the port of entry. No refund of duty can, however, exceed the amount of duty paid in foreign territory, and no refund of duty is allowed on spirits. 146. The same principle of strict economic equality governs, or will govern, concessions, land tenure, mining rights, and the fiscal regime. No applications for concessions or mining rights have as yet been made. 147. The Plantations (ex-enemy private property) were put up for sale without reserve by public auction in London in November, 1924, the discrimination against ex-enemy pur­ chasers, which was a condition of the previous auction, having been withdrawn. With the exception of three small lots all the properties were sold. Most of the buyers were the former german owners. The sum realised was £224,670. The actual transfer of the properties was hxed for March, 1925. — 20 —

XIII.—EDUCATION.

(i) D ik w a .

148.—There are no mission schools in Dikwa or in any part of the Northern Cameroons. 149. When the scheme for educational expansion in Bornu Province, through the medium of schools at outlying centres, affiliated to the Provincial School at, Maiduguri, was under con­ sideration at the beginning of 1923, there was a concurrence of opinion that the first efforts should be concentrated on Dikwa as the headquarters of a large and prosperous division with a progressive and enlightened Sheikh, w7ho could be relied upon to take an active interest in the conduct and wrell-being of the school. The response of the Sheikh and Council of Dikwa left no room for doubt on this point. Proposals wrere submitted to Government through the Provincial School Committee in April, and they received the sanction of the Governor in October, 1923. 150. At a meeting of the Dikwa Council held on 24th June, 1923, the members gave expression to clear and constructive ideas with regard to the scope and functions of the proposed school. They had anticipated sanction to the extent of choosing and clearing an admir­ able site for the school building and of preparing plans, and they were ready to start building forthw it-h. 151. In March, 1924, the buildings were completed. They consist of an imposing and commodious tlat-roofed and arched mud building with an entrance hall and two class-rooms ; quarters for the head teacher and a compact compound for boarders adjoining the main build­ ing. The school premises have been iaid out with care and trees have been planted alongside the approaches to the school. Ample ground has been reserved for a farm and playing field. 152. A meeting of the Council was held in the School building on 5th March to make the final arrangements. The following decisions were made :— (а) The School should be opened as soon as possible after the end of Ramadan. (б) The number of pupils should be limited, at the outset, to thirty, constituting two classes with a staff of one head teacher, one teacher and one Arabic and religious instructor. The head teacher and teacher should be chosen by the Superintendent of Educa­ tion from the staff of the Provincial School and the instructor be chosen by the Sheikh and the Judicial Council. (d) The Dikwa pupils attending the Provincial School at Maiduguri should be trans­ ferred to the Dikwa School, at any rate for a time, in order to ensure an auspi­ cious beginning. (e) The remaining pupils should be selected by the Council, and should, as far as possible, be subsisted by their parents. (/) Arrangements should be made to hold evening classes in Arabic for adults. (9) The school should be an integral part of the Native Administration in the same sense as the Native Treasury, Native Courts, etc., and that its control should be vested, as far as possible compatible with efficiency and discipline, in the Native Administration. 153. On 9th May the Superintendent of Education proceeded to Dikwa to supervise the opening of the School. This was done formally by the Sheikh on 12th May. He informed the Superintendent at a meeting of the Council that he was well aware of the necessity for small beginnings, but that he would not rest content until the Dikwa School could provide the same educational facilities as the Provincial School at Maiduguri. 154. Attendance.— No. of Average No. of Average Day Boys Daily Boarders Daily 31.12,24. Attendance. 31.12.24. Attendance. 14 13.53 13 13.18 155. Curriculum.—The curriculum and hours of work have been modelled on those obtain­ ing at the Maiduguri Provincial School, and the former comprises English, reading and writing in English and Arabic, religious instruction, hygiene, arithmetic, geography, general knowledge, farming and games. The visit of Sheikh Osman Mirghani, a teacher trained at the Gordon College, Khartoum, and now on the staff of the Maiduguri Provincial School, to Dikwa has had a very stimulating effect on the teachers. He arranged for the adoption of the direct method of teaching English and instituted a systematic method of Koranic reading combined with religious instruction. 156. School Committee.—With the approval of the Governor the Committee has been constituted as follows :— The Resident. Divisional Officer. Superintendent of Education. Sheikh’s Council. — 21 —

157. Expenditure.—The cost of education per head in Bornu Province is approximately £20 ; on this basis, the portion of Dikwa is £540. This is the approximate amount spent by the Nigerian Government ; to this must be added £110 for erecting buildings and £105 for general expenditure in the School shown on the Native Treasury’s Accounts. 158. School fees may be remitted at the discretion of the Superintendent. When fully paid, they do not exceed Is. a month for day boys and 4s. a month for boarders. 159. General.—The prospects of education in Dikwa Division are distinctly promising. The Sheikh is anxious to open other schools in the near future, but the question of staff, both European and African, precludes this for a year or two. For the present effort will be concen­ trated on t he school at Dikwa. As soon as circumstances allow, rural schools will be opened at other centres.

(ii) T e c h n ic a l E d u c a t io n in B o r n u a n d D ik w a . 160. Technical education, commenced in Bornu Province at the commencement of 1921, has conferred considerable benefits on t he mandated territory ot Dikwa. Both pupils sent in officially by the Sheikh of Dikwa for training and pupils who have sought admission by themselves have received, and are still receiving, instruction in various crafts at the School of Arts and Crafts in Maiduguri ; both types of people being subsisted, housed and clothed, in addition to receiving instruction, free of any expense. 161. Results even during this short period are increasingly apparent, and have amply justified the time, pain» and care expended by staff, both European and native, and the pros­ pects for t he future can only be described as good. 162. As a result of the advice given by the officer-in-charge of the Arts and Crafts School at Maiduguri, it has been found possible to open at Dikwa workshops which bid fair to become the nucleus of a much larger undertaking in the future. There has been established a car­ pentry and joinery department (with sawyers to make use of local timbers) which is flourishing. A smithy, in which has been installed a large hearth and bellows, is in a no less satisfactory condition. Ox-carts have been introduced and oxen trained to their use. A motor garage and staff of drivers and mechanics add greatly to the utility of the undertaking, which is staffed almost entirely by pupils trained in the Bornu School. 163. The Sheikh and the Waziri recently inspected the School and expressed their entire gratification at the progress made and the class of instruction imparted. In addition to primary literary education, instruction is given in :— Motor mechanics, motor driving, blacksmithing, tinsmithing, leather working, joinery, car and wheel-building, cabinet working, brickmaking, brickburning, brick­ laying, coti on spinning and weaving. Several of these crafts are in their infancy at present and, although pupils are under instruction, they are not yet proficient enough to return to Dikwa and ply their trades, and thus make way for others. 164. Eight pupils have been discharged to employment in the workshops previously referred to and another eight are under instruction at present. This number is likely to be added to considerably when facilities increase. 165. The cost of technical education in Bornu Province works out at approximately £41 per pupil. On this basis it may be said that the portion which may be debited against the Dikwa Division is £328. (iii) A d a m a w a D is t r ic t . 166. From the area north of the Benue there are nine boys undergoing instruction in Nigeria at the Yola Provincial School. Their fathers or the local Chiefs pay the small school fees of 10s. per pupil per year and subsistence of 6s. per month. The opening ot a rural school at Mubi in the area north of the Benue in the near future is under consideration, the only obstacle at present being the lack of trained teachers. Facilities for the higher literary educa­ tion of the native are available at the Training College at Katsina. It is open to all Moham­ medans of sufficient ability who wish to go there after a successful career at the Yola Provincial School. Higher technical education is also available for boys of sufficient ability at the Kano Technical School. From the above description it will be seen that if the natives of the man­ dated territory wish to avail themselves of opportunities of education facilities are afforded them to do so in Nigeria.

(iv) K o r a n ic S c h o o l s . 167. Throughout the Mohammedan areas of the Northern Cameroons there are numerous Koranic schools. In some of these the foundations of Arabic scholarship are laid, but in many of them it must be confessed that the pupils do not progress beyond learning a few passages of the Koran by rote.

(v) Ca m e r o o n s P r o v in c e s . 168. All schools are elementary and fall under four categories :— (a) Government schools. (b) Native Administration schools ; infant classes only. (c) Mission schools, (d) “ Hedge ” or unofficial native schools. — 22 —

169. The following table shows the establishment of the teaching staff in the Cameroons Province and their qualifications :— 2nd 1st West 1st 2nd 3rd Asst. With- Year Year Schools In- Class Class Class Tea- out Pupil Pupil dian. Cert. Cert. Cert. cher. Certif. Tea- Tea­ chers chers Government ...... 1 7 6 2 9 — 3 7 Native Admn...... — — — 1 21 — — — Mission ...... — — — — — 48 — —

T otals...... 1 7 6 3 30 48 3 7 The weakness in the teaching staff of the Native Administration schools is due, not to the lack of funds, but to the impossibility of finding qualified teachers : that of the Mission schools is due to the same cause with the lack of funds in addition. 170. On the rolls of the six Government schools there are 967 boys and 102 girls, with a total average attendance of 785. 171. On the rolls of the twelve Native Administration schools there are 637 boys and 19 girls, with a total average attendance of 526. 172. On the rolls of the five Catholic Mission schools there are 569 boys and 12 girls, with a total average attendance of 440. Of these five schools only three are under the immediate supervision of the Mission Fathers and one has been closed by the Mission and the pupils trans­ ferred to the Victoria Government School. 173. On the rolls of the thirty-three Protestant Mission Schools there are 1,216 boys and 82 girls, with a total average attendance of 868, but of these schools only one can be said to be efficient ; the remainder but serve to keep alive the interests of the Mission in their several areas. These schools are under the nominal management of the French Protestant Mission in Duala and are but rarely visited by a European pastor. 174. The “ Hedge ” schools, which consist almost entirely of irregularly attending chil­ dren, are often closed for long periods during harvesting and planting, and have no organisa­ tion, materials or qualified staff. They are merely the means employed by catechists of German days to keep together the numerous mission nuclei to be found in almost every village of any size in the two southern Divisions. Statistics are impossible to get and the schools can be neglected as institutions benefiting the Province at all in the matter of education. 175. During the last three years the standard of education in the Government schools has been materially improved and now' compares favourably with that of schools in Nigeria. A special point, is made of eradicating “ pidgin English, ” of teaching domestic economy and of encouraging the local arts and crafts. The Inspector of Schools reports that he was much impressed during his tour of inspection with the very noticeable advance made under domestic economy. 176. The Native Administration schools aim at elementary education for the mass, just sufficient to enable them to pursue their normal occupations more efficiently and to give them the necessary grounding so that, if they desire it, they can continue their studies at the nearest Government school. 177. Under the supervision of the Inspector of Schools the organisation of all the schools, Native Administration as well as Mission schools, is standardised by means of the Education Manual, printed Time Tables and Schemes of Work. The Inspector of Schools is constantly on the move visiting the Government and Native Administration schools and such of the Mission schools as he may be asked to visit, so that he is able to work in co-operation with the Managers and Political Officers, adding, during each tour of inspection, to his experience of the need and general outlook of the country as a whole and of the schools severally. 178. The school gardens are a feature of the Cameroons schools in spite of the fact that the parents of the pupils strongly objected to their sons working on the land in school hours when they would much rather they worked on their own farms. The produce is used during the season of scarcity, immediately before the harvests, to feed those boarders who find it impossible to bring food from their homes. In the Mamfe Division this difficulty is also overcome by the scholars paying into a common fund at the rate of a penny a day, the Divi­ sional Officer, through the head teacher, contracting to obtain the required amount of food. 179. The books used in the Cameroons Province are as far as possible identical w ith those used in the Nigerian schools. All schools are equipped with the necessary apparatus including that required for kindergarten work. 180. There w as a decrease in the number of children in the Native Administration schools from 843 in 1922 to 800 in 1923. The number on the roll for 1924 was only 656. B ut the a v e ra g e attendance for 1924 w as much better, being 526 on a roll of 656 as compared w ith 5bo on a roll of 800 in 1923. 181. The local administration has noted the Permanent Mandates Commission’s recom­ mendation (in its Report on the work of its fourth session) as to character training and disci­ pline, the teaching of agriculture, arts and crafts, and elementary hygiene ; and what can he done to carry out these recommendations has been done. Much may be accomplished in the — 23 — m atter of character training and discipline through the constant supervision of the schools by the European Inspector and by the Administrative Officers, the interest they show and the moral influence they exert, but more still can be done by well-trained teachers, and of these there is a shortage. Steps, however, have been taken to start a Secondary department in the Victoria School in January, 1925, and a normal class will follow in due course.

XIV.—PUBLIC HEALTH.

(a) Northern Cameroons.

182. It has not been possible to maintain permanent medical stations in the Northern Cameroons. If advice and help are required on medical matters, the Medical Officers at Maidu­ guri (Bornu Province) and Yola are called upon. 183. The Medical Officer at Maiduguri has visited Dikwa town in company with the Resident and has thus been able to inspect the schools, prison, and other public institutions with him, and to give advice generally on sanitation and directions as to treatment of any sick people. He has also visited the place during the recent epidemic of relapsing fever, which seems to have been widespread all over the Chad basin, and for this complaint has adminis­ tered a large number of intravenous injections of salvarsan with good results. 184. The Shehu of Dikwa is very keen to introduce modern methods of medical treatment among his people. He frequently sends cases for operation or treatment to the Government Hospital at Maiduguri. Among these have been surgical cases of elephantiasis, amputation, ascetes, and various injuries of a severe nature besides many cases which require medical treatment only such as syphilis and bilharziosis. 185. The Government Hospital at Maiduguri (about fifty miles from Dikwa) is well equipped with all necessary drugs, instruments and dressings. The staff includes both a fully-qualified nurse and dispenser. All this service is supplied free by the Government ; and, in addition, if the patient is poor or not able to provide him or herself with suitable food, he or she is also subsisted free. Cases who are unable either lo walk or ride to Maiduguri are brought by motorcar, and by this means serious cases can be got to hospit al from I heir homes in about three hours during the greater part of the year when the road is open. 186. Attempts have been constantly made to deal, by vaccination on a large scale, with the severe epidemics of smallpox, which annually take a large toll of death among the people. A qualified vaccinator vaccinates free of charge all who present themselves, as well as all school boys and prisoners, etc. The vaccine is provided by the Government or the Native Administration. The people are gradually realizing the benefits and come forward in increas­ ing numbers. Compulsion is not employed, as it is thought better gradually to gain the con­ fidence of the natives rather than to alarm t hem by too strenuous measures at first. In the south of the Division and among the Shuwa Arabs inoculation of smallpox from pre-existing cases is largely performed by the natives themselves. It is hoped that as time goes on il may be possible to persuade them to replace this very dangerous practice by the safer method of vaccination. 187. General sanitation in Dikwa town presents many problems, but much has been done to improve matters, and the town and market is now kept very clean and free from refuse and rubbish, thereby greatly diminishing the number of flies. The difficulty of dealing with surface water is increased by the situation of the town on an open plain with hardly any slope for natural drainage, and wit h a subsoil of impermeable clay. There are also vast swamps to the south and west of the town. Attempts are being made to cut channels, to drain off the surface water at. various point sin the town itself and to have filled up the numerous pits from which clay has been taken to build the houses, and which become filled with stagnant water during the rains. In spite of these drawbacks it does not appear that there is an excessive amount of sickness among I he inhabitants compared with other places in Bornu Province, and the health of Europeans stat ioned there has been for this year good. 188. In the areas attached to Yola and Muri Provinces the great distances and the back­ ward state of the people make it difficult to do more than take simple measures to prevent the spread of epidemics. Free medical treatment is always obtainable at Yola, where the Govern­ ment Medical Oifieer is stationed and where there is also a well-stocked Native Administra­ tion hospital. No serious epidemic occurred during the year 1924.

(6) C a m e r o o n s P r o v in c e .

189. The Cameroons Province is served by three Medical Officers at the stations of Victoria, Mamfe, and Bamenda. These are assisted by a staff of forty-seven natives whose disposition is as follows :—Victoria eighteen ; Buea nine ; the Cocoa Plantations (recently sold to Europeans) fifteen ; Mamfe three ; and Bamenda two. There is a European Hospital in Victoria, which can accommodate eight patients (two beds in each of the four wards) and small native hospitals exist at Victoria, Buea, Mamfe, and Bamenda. Dispensaries and dressing stations are dotted about in the cocoa plantations — 24 -

between Victoria and Buea to the number of twelve, and under the conditions of sale of the Plantations the dispensaries wiU shortly be handed over to the purchasers. 190. As the unofficial population oi the Province is estimated at about 347,000, it can easily be realised howT large is the area for each medical officer and how difficult it is, and in some places almost impossible, to estimate, even roughly, the prevalence of disease among the community. 191. Trypanosomiasis.— In view of the fact that the Cameroons is in close proximity to sleeping sickness areas and that infection can easily be carried along trade routes, it is rather extraordinary that in spite of the prevalence of tsetse-flies in the Province only one case was definitely diagnosed as trypanosomiasis. 192. Tuberculosis.—Eighty-eight cases of tuberculosis have been notified with a mortality of six per cent. There is, however, reason to believe that these figures do not reveal I he correct incidence and that the disease is much more prevalent. The disease being insidious in its onset it does not occur to the native that European aid is necessary in the early stages and cases are therefore seen in an advanced condition. Native nurses and dressers may treat it as bronchitis and pleurisy. Even when a Medical Officer attends the caae the progress is so slow that the patient becomes doubtful of the future beneficial effects of treatment and ceases to attend the hospital. 193. Malaria.—There were 2,549 cases of this disease treated with six deaths. Both at Victoria and Mamfe parents are bringing their children in increasing numbers to the hospitals in order to receive treatment. The patients react very readily to quinine, and a good number of infant lives must be saved in consequence. 194. Plague.—There has been no plague in the Cameroon Province : passengers arriving by sea from infected ports are examined by the Medical Officer before landing. 195. Leprosy.—It is difficult to say to what extent this disease is prevalent. Thirty- four cases were treated at Mamfe, seventeen at Bamenda and ten at Victoria. Moogrol has given good results in two cases at Victoria, and it is hoped that the success obtained may encourage others to come voluntarily. There is reason to believe that fear of segregation prevents disclosure of the disease. 196. Venereal Disease.—There were 649 cases of gonorrhoea treated and 324 cases of syphilis. The three medical stations seem to show considerable difference in the incidence of these diseases : Bamenda having relatively the largest number (341 cases of venereal disease out of a total of 973). Mamfe had ninety cases of gonorrhoea but no syphilis : the remaining 542 cases of venereal disease were distributed between Victoria and Buea. This difference in distribution of the disease seems to be attributable to various causes: the comparatively large number at Bamenda was most likely due to the presence of troops ; and the comparatively few cases at Mamfe to the sparse trade and the paucity of trading routes between it and other places. At Victoria, for a place so much in contact by sea and land with the outer world, the amount of venereal disease does not seem excessive. Gonorrhoea is treated by irrigation : and syphilis by injections of neosalvarsan and by the internal medication of mercury. 197. Yaws.—There are 1,737 cases of this disease recorded in the hospital records for the year ; the greatest number (1,076) being at Mamfe, and the fewest (53) at Bamenda. 198. Smallpox.—There was no smallpox recorded in the Bamenda area ; only four cases at Mamfe and nine at Buea. The percentage oî vaccinated persons, for tropical Africa, appears to be high ; during German occupation the people were vaccinated widely, compulsion being used where necessary. In Mamfe there is definite opposition to vaccination. In the Victoria and Buea districts the people appear to be more docile, and the two vaccinators who are employed there seem to experience little difficulty in vaccinating. Their work is frequently inspected and has been found to be quite satisfactory. 199. Filariasis.— This disease is extremely common in the Cameroons ; 1,285 cases were examined solely for filariasis and in eighty-three per cent, microfilaria were found. It is probable, however, that given more time and opportunity for examination, many other diseases, now recorded under other headings, would be placed under filariasis. 200. Ankylostomiasis.—There were 146 cases, with five deaths, of this disease : of fifty- three hospital patients examined at Mamfe, ten were found to be infected. 201. Dysentery.— Is on the whole an uncommon disease in the Cameroons territory. 202. Helminthiasis.— Infection with Ascaris Lumbricoides seems to be almost universal : tape worm is uncommon.

Habits and Customs, etc.., which have a Relation to the H ealth of the C o m m u n i t y .

203. Polygamy seems to be common throughout the Province, the number of wives being proportionate to a man’s wealth. Payment for a new wife is often spread over a number of years. Promiscuity exists to a considerable extent also. 204. Houses are built of mud and wattle made of the raphia palm ; for the most part they are small, low, square buildings generally without a window or other means of ventilation except the door ; palm-leaf mats are used for roofing, and occasionally grass thatch. — 25 -

205. In the country round Victoria the men wear as a rule trousers and vest, and the women some kind of cloth, all of imported material. In Mamfe and Bamenda areas the cloth­ ing worn is very scanty, but the men wear clothes more generally than the women. 206. Coco-yams, plantains, palm-oil, salt, dried fish and beans are the staple diets of the low-lying districts near the coast ; meat is expensive and difficult to obtain ; cats, dogs and rats are all eaten and regarded as delicacies ; dogs are especially in request and are reared and fed for the table of the more wealthy. In the districts round Bamenda, maize, sweet potatoes, groundnuts, guinea-corn and beef are the main articles of diet. 207. With regard to the suggestion of the Commission that it would be desirable, in order to limit the spread of venereal disease, to submit itinerant traders to medical exam inai ion, it may first be remarked that itinerant traders are not licensed in the mandated territory nor in Nigeria. The licence, instituted by the Germans for customs purposes, was abolished in the Northern Provinces in 1920 and th e Southern in 1923 as being in restraint of trade. It would be highly inadvisable to re-impose the licence for the same reasons which were urged when its abolition was recommended. In a new and undeveloped country such as this everything should be done to civilise the people by promoting intercourse between the villages, and this is best done by affording every facility for trade. A large proportion of the men and women trade at one time or another, and it was found in practice extremely difficult to distinguish between the whole time and the part-time itinerant trader or to draw up any satisfactory definition for licensing purposes. The trade licence under the Germans served mainly as a protective measure against Nigerian goods. To the people it served no useful purpose, but was on the contrary a constant source of irritation and offered ample scope for abuse by the native police. As an example of its economic effect, th e licence killed the trade in livestock between Bamenda and Ikom. On economic grounds, therefore, there are definite objections to the reimposition of the licence. On hygienic grounds, it is very doubtful whether the examination for venereal disease of an itinerant trader would do much to reduce infection unless venereal diseases were made compulsorily notifiable and the patients compulsorily detained and treated.

XV.—LAND TENURE.

D ik w a . 208. In paragraph 12 on page 8 of the 1923 Report it was stated that further and more detailed information would be supplied regarding native land tenure in Dikwa. This subject has received special investigation, the results of which are embodied in Appendix III. 209. Briefly, it may be said that three sets of ideas of land tenure are prevalent, the one, the most primitive and among the aboriginal inhabitants, of property in land as vested in the chief of the clan community as trustee ; the second which regards all land as vested in the Sheikh, as paramount lord and landowner, and recognises only right of occupancy or lease at the discretion of the Sheikh ; and the third which applies practically only to certain types of soil and which, while recognising the sovereign title of the Sheikh, insists on the fruits of labour spent in improving the land being secured to the occupier by the right of transfer, lease, and descent to heirs. All these sets of ideas are recognised and protected under I he Land and Native Rights Ordinance which lays down that regard shall be had “ to native laws and customs existing in the district in which such land is situated. ” No lands are considered as the absolute property of the State, nor are lands anywhere strictly speaking communally owned.

A d a m a w a D is t r ic t s , G r u m pa o a n d Y e b b i . 210. In this area the situation is less complicated than in Dikwa. It is summed up in the following extract from the Acting Resident’s report :— “ Land is vested in the Chief, who assigns unoccupied portions to those who desire it. The native lawr and custom, whilst it entitles each individual native to claim sufficient land for the support of himself and his family so long as he fulfils certain obligations demanded by the laws of the tribe, is equally emphatic in denying to him individual proprietary rights in land ; whilst his claim to occupy national land was recognised he was invariably liable to forfeit these claims and even to be dispos­ sessed for contravention of local customs. Land has not yet acquired an exchange value. The assignee and his heirs have undisturbed possession of the land assigned, together with the usufruct of the trees growing on it, provided they continue to claim or farm it. No cases have come before the administration in which land as property has been sold though instances occur of the pawning or sale of the harvest. There is no lack of potential farming land and registration has, therefore, hitherto been unnecessary and will probably remain so for a long time to come. ”

G a s h a k a . 211. No special features call for notice in this area. — 26 -

Ca m er o o n s P r o v in c e .

212. Outside the Plantations, there has been no change in the situation described in pre­ vious reports. 213. The result of the sale of ex-enemy private property mentioned in paragraph 147 js that all but three plantations are held, as nearly as the difference between British and German law will permit, on the same tenure as that on which they were held by the former owners. In most cases the tenure acquired by the purchasers is full ownership, subject to certain restric­ tions defined in the conditions of sale. In a few cases the tenure acquired is leasehold with an option to purchase the full ownership on agreed terms.

XVI.—MORAL, SOCIAL AND MATERIAL WELFARE.

2 1 4 . The general policy of the Mandatory Power in regard to the Cameroons is to educate the natives to manage their own affairs and to evolve from their own institutions a mode of government which shall conform to civilised standards. The belief w'hich underlies this policy is that every system of government, if it is to be permanent and progressive, must have its roots in the framework of indigenous society. 2 1 5 . In order to illustrate the objects which the Mandatory Power has in view, it may be permissible to consider what the opposite and alternative policy would involve. It would, no doubt, be possible, if funds were available, to introduce a host of British officials, to sweep aside all but minor native chiefs, and to administer the country as far as possible on European lines. Such a form of government might be humane, incorruptible and efficient. It would also be alien, exotic and impracticably expensive. 216. If the ultimate object, however remote, of the government of backward races is to raise them to a state of civilisation in which they can stand alone, it is evident that they must be provided with a governmental machine with the control of which they themselves can be associated in an ever increasing degree. If the machine is capable of being manipulated only by foreign hands, the withdrawal of outside assistance will speedily bring it to a standstill. 2 1 7 . The evolution of indigenous institutions, in the sense contemplated above, does not mean that those institutions are to be allowed to grow unchecked and uncontrolled. It implies close and continuous direction, supervision and guidance by administrative officers. It implies repression and excision of abuses. European standards and methods must be introduced in the form and measure in which they can profitably be grafted on to the pre­ existing stock. 218. It need scarcely be said that the policy of indirect administration can and must be applied in a variety of forms and degrees. The highly organised state of Dikwa cannot be dealt with on the same lines as the primitive bill-pagans who are still in a state of savagery. But between these extremes lie a number of communities whose administration calls for variety of treatment. 2 1 9 . The manner in which these problems are viewed by the officers in immediate charge of the Mandated Territory may be illustrated by extracts from their reports. The Acting Resident of the Bornu Province writes concerning Dikwa as follows :— “ As the results of any measures taken for the moral, social and material welfare of the natives must very largely depend on the form and sympathetic accordance with native ideas of the administration which carries them out, and as it is a cardinal point in the policy of the Mandatory Power and of the League of Nations that the natives of the territory should participate to the utmost possible extent in the public services, the political officer’s time and attention have been very largely given to the consolidation of native institutions into an effective and a live “ native administration. ” In the Dikwa Emirate with the organisation of the ancient Bornu empire still available and a high percentage of literate persons it would not be difficult to inau­ gurale various forms of public activities on the European model, but it is safe to say that progress would be largely specious, and unless constantly under the eye of a political officer these activities would deteriorate into inefficiency and means ot abuse. Far greater hopes of lasting benefits from reforms lie in the policy of developing and influencing such native institutions as exist, while pruning them of the abuses ot the old regime. To refrain, therefore, from issuing numerous imperative injunctions or prohibitions which, however salutary and needed they may be in themselves, would not be appreciated by the mentality of either chiefs or people and would conse­ quently be thought irksome and tyrannous ; to engage in the fullest and frankes discussions of all matters with the Sheikh and his chiefs in the native language, whic all political officers speak, so as to induce in them an appreciation of and deman for progressive things : and to Lour among the peasantry as much as possible and so maintain a first-hand knowledge of the effect of administrative measures in e humblest : these are the constant duties w'hich the Political Officer holds betoie — 27 —

himself. This policy has been fully indicated in previous reports and it is not neces­ sary now to do more than outline the present organisation as it stands. Sheikh’s Council.—This consists of the Sheikh, the chief Limam, the Chief Kadi, the Waziri (belonging to one of the Arab families) and the titular head ot the Beriberi (Kanuri) tribes, and forms the Executive Council which meets the Political Officer at least once a week and with whom every matter of any importance is freely discussed before action is taken. The Sheikh shows much initiative and the standard of debate is high. All these officials are well salaried, the Shehu receiving £3.000 a year and the others from £120 to £240 per annum. District and Village Administration.—Thirteen district headmen resident in their districts have replaced the extortionate agents and messengers of absent.ee fief holders of the old regime. They are salaried at from £120 to £180 per annum. One hundred and sixty-eight village headmen control single villages or groups of hamlets, defined in accordance with some natural grouping, historical or tribal, and receive small salaries of £12 to £60 per annum. These are chosen from, and generally by, the peasantry themselves, and, as they have security of position, are the bulwark against oppression. These district and village headmen are responsible for good order in their units and for the collection of taxes. Law Courts.—There are seven law courts presided over by a Kadi versed in the Moslem law ; of these, one is the court of a chief Kadi who sits in Dikwa, who can take appeals and who reviews monthly, in conjunction with the Political Officer, the work of the District Courts. The Sheikh’s Council act as a court in administrative matters, for example, the wrongdoings of agents of the administration, slavery and land cases. The jurisdiction of the Political Officer, who is a Commissioner of the Courts of Nigeria, is independent of these native courts and he can transfer cases from the native courts to his own at discretion. All persons have the right to come direct to the Political Officer’s court. Police, Prison, and Treasury administration are under the close supervision of the Political Officer. Education and Public Health have also been discussed in their proper places. It will be seen that the extent to which natives participate in the public services and tribunals is very considerable indeed and it cannot but be that their interests, rights, and customs receive automatic protection. Moreover, where under the old regime the peasantry was largely exploited by the court at the capital, now the institution of resident district headmen as. spokesmen of the people has created a wider sharing in the fruits and responsibilities of government, while the Political Officer, comparatively free from the burden of routine paper work or of the petty details of administration, is in a position to keep in touch with the public opinion of all classes and to act as arbiter between the stronger and the weaker. Moreover, it is believed that in the training in the act of self-government according to civilised standard the mandatory power is giving to the natives of the territory the greatest benefit which it is in its power to bestow. ” 220. The application of the policy of indirect administration to the Cameroons Province was fully discussed on pages 56 to 58 of the 1923 report. In amplification of that discussion the Resident writes :— “ Under the system of indirect administration the principal work of the District Officer is not only the solving of every question of administration as it arises but, in addition, in teaching the chiefs or Councils to solve these problems for themselves. His work is thus more arduous than that of his colleague working under direct rule, for it demands of necessity more persevering patience, tact and intimate knowledge of native mentality, laws and customs and genealogies ; it also demands a measure of self-effacement instead of the easier self-assertion. With direct administration the District Officer is the local representative oi Government, enforcing the orders of his distant superiors and administering Euro­ pean justice which is by no means the same as African justice. By the nature of his position he is more concerned with things material than with ideas, with what is visible than what is hidden, with roads ancTbridges than with social uplift and political advancement of the people. As a direct ruler he relies on himself, on his driving force and technical knowledge. His visions are those of a perfectly ordered country, quiescent under his rule. Self-assertion on his part and unquestioning docility on the part of the people must perforce distinguish his administration. Different will be the outlook and methods of the District Officer under indirect, administration. He will still have to collect revenue, administer justice, construct roads and bridges, build houses and keep his district in order, but these duties will not be the end-all of his work and even these duties he will carry out in a different manner. All the time he is seeking the foundations on which to build up a true native administration and, having found them, he has to guide and advise the people into administering themselves, in the firm belief that it is for their ultimate moral welfare that they should be so educated and in the knowledge that all races prefer local self-rule, relatively inefficient though it may be, to direct alien rule however just and benevolent. — 28 —

Among the subsidiary effects of this policy may be mentioned :— (a) That justice in accordance with native law and custom is administered by the people themselves, as represented by their chosen leaders, over their own people with no interference from European authority other than advice and guidance, and the ever watchful eye ot the District Officer to see that the weaker and unpopular members of the community are not prejudiced. Murder, brigandage and all serious criminal cases, as well as civil suits involving an amount of more than £25, are reserved for action by the Provincial Court, and in all cases an aggrieved person can without difficulty lay his complaint before the District Officer, who can quash or amend the judgment, or retry the case himself. An extract from a report from the Bamenda Division truly expresses the practical value of the Native Courts :—■ 1 The Native Courts have done their duty during the year with very good results. Their superiority over the alien Provincial Court in settling the innume­ rable cases which come before them is apparent to the most obtuse observer, and is due to their almost complete disregard of law, as we know it, and icglo. Where the European, driven by the dictates of pure reason, would have to dis­ miss 75 per cent, of the cases for want of evidence, the Chiefs work on intuition and the law of probabilities. Left to themselves, they would scarcely trouble to call that fad of the white man’s, the witness, in whose value the parties concerned are now coming to have a child-like faith, but whose parrot-like repetition of his principal’s case would not deceive the most credulous. In dowry cases it is almost unknown for either side to tell the truth, and yet the Chiefs settle hundreds to the apparent content of both parties. ’ It should, however, be stated that in the Bamenda Division 99 per cent, of the population is totally ignorant of English methods of administering English justice. The witness referred to is the professional witness hired by either party to the suit to give evidence on his employer’s behalf. In the Bamenda Native Court alone, near which an Administrative Officer is always in residence and where, therefore, appeals to him are especially easy, 707 cases were heard with only 21 appeals to the District Officer. Of these, twelve were allowed. (b) That the people are trained in the control and expenditure of public monies. As one-half the direct taxes and all fees and fines collected by the Native Courts are payable into the Native Treasuries, one for each of the four divisions, so the people get the direct local benefit for all expenditure and learn to take their share in the allo­ cation and control of that expenditure. (c) That the people are not burdened with tax-gatherers. Taxes are collected through family, village and clan Heads, checked by the Native Court or District Head and remitted to the Native Treasury. Receipts are by means of stamped metal discs, differing for each year, given to the individual by the above-mentioned collectors at the time of his paying the tax. (d) That among the forest people, whose democratic instincts are strong, the village and clan Councils, in process of gradual evolution, will eventually provide a native Executive and give each individual the opportunity for self-realisation. ”

XVII. — PUBLIC FINANCES.

221. In th e report on th e work of th e Fifth (Extraordinary) Session of the Permanent Mandates Commission it w as stated that the Commission was unable to inform the Council of th e League of Nations whether th e administration of the Cameroons showred a deficit or surplus. It was further stated that “ the Commission would be satisfied if it were provided. . ■ with budgets and accounts based either wholly or partially on estimates, provided the methods employed in drawing th em up were clearly explained. ” 222. In previous reports the financial statements have been restricted to revenue actually collected and expenditure actually incurred within the limits of the Mandated Territory. The Commission’s objections to this method evidently rest on the view that on both sides of the account there are, apart from the items hitherto shown, other items of the budget common to Nigeria and the Cameroons, and that the Cameroons ought to be debited and credited, as the case may be, with a proportion of such common items. In order to meet the wishes of the Commission the financial statement for the year ended 31st March, 1924, in Appendix I, is presented in an amended form, in which actual and proportional figures are combined. The proportional figures are based on the ratio of the population of the Cameroons to the aggregate population of Nigeria plus Cameroons This ratio is represented by the fraction 223. There are, of course, numerous items of revenue and expenditure which can be stated without recourse to the proportional method. Thus, for direct taxation, licences, rents, fees and fines it is not necessary to go beyond the figures of actual collection. On the other hand, in such cases as contributions to the Widows and Orphans Pensions Scheme, and Currency Board Profits, no actual figures exist. The proportional figures are therefore given. 224. Customs revenue presents greater difficulties. The sum actually collected in the Cameroons was £12,338. One twenty-eighth part of the total customs receipts of Nigeria and — 29 — the Cameroons was over £94,000. To credit the Cameroons with the latter sum would be patently absurd. It would imply that of the dutiable goods wrhich found their way into the Cameroons less than one-seventh entered by way of Victoria, and that m o re than six-sevenths, having paid duty at Nigerian ports, were imported over the Cameroons-Nigerian land frontier. It would imply, too, that the purchasing power of the Cameroons peoples was far beyond any reasonable estimate of their wealth. In actual fact it is certain that the great bulk of imports pass through Victoria and that the dutiable exports which are not dealt with by the Cameroons Customs authorities are negligible. For all these reasons, therefore, the mandated territory has been credited with twice the amount of the import duties actually collected within the territory and with the actual amount of the export duties so collected. It may be taken as certain that, these calculations err on the side of generosity toward the Cameroons. 225. On the expenditure side the Cameroons has been debited with one twenty-eighth of the Governor’s and Lieutenant-Governor’s salaries, etc., and the cost of the Secretariats. In the case of the departments (e.g., the Medical, Posts and Telegraphs, Marine, Public Works Department, etc.), which are represented in the Cameroons, the actual local disbursements are shown, and, in addition, a proportion of the expenses of the headquarters office in Lagos. 226. Where a department has no representative in the Cameroons, but is charged with the supervision of some branch of Cameroons affairs, the mandated territory has been charged with one twenty-eighth of the cost of maintaining the department. Examples are the Trea­ sury, Audit,, Legal and Judicial departments. The same proportion of the cost of the Nigerian Regiment has also been charged, the assumption being that the company maintained at Bamenda in 1923-24 did not necessarily represent the exact military requirements of the Came­ roons, but that the latter territory ought properly to be regarded as deriving a proportionate benefit from the general military dispositions of the West African Frontier Force. 227. Some items of the Northern Cameroons expenditure are shown as “ estimated. ” These are mainly concerned with the emoluments of officers whose activities are divided between the mandated territory and Nigeria. 228. The financial statement shows that the administration of the mandated territory resulted in a deficit of £53,334 19s. 5d. If no account had been taken of proportional figures, i.e., if the statements had been restricted to revenue actually collected and expenditure actually incurred within the Cameroons Province, the deficit would have been £62,884 2s. lid. This is in fact the sum shown in the accounts of Nigeria as the subsidy to the Cameroons for the finan­ cial year 1923-24. In other words the new method of calculating reduces the deficit by about 16 per cent. There is, too, no reason to suppose that the discrepancy would have been greater in previous years. 229. In paragraph 80 of page 59 of the 1923 Report it was stated that the aggregate deficit, calculated by the old method, up to 31st March, 1923, was£l 79,809. If to this sum be added the deficit for 1923-24, calculated in the same way, the aggregate loss up to 31st March, 1924, would be £242,693. If this total be reduced by 16 per cent, in order to place it on the new basis, an aggregate deficit is arrived at of more than £203,000 for the eight years ended 31st March, 1924. It is, therefore, obvious that the administration of the Cameroons has been in no way financially advantageous to Nigeria or to the Mandatory Power.

(ii) N a t iv e T r e a s u r ie s .

230. The financial statements for the various Native Treasuries are shown in Appendix II. 231. The working of these Treasuries has already been explained in previous reports. In the Dikwa Emirate the Native Administration receives 75 per cent, of the proceeds of direct taxation. This special arrangement has been sanctioned in order to enable the Native Treasury to meet exceptional heavy disbursements. In the rest of the Northern Cameroons the taxes are divided equally between Government and the Native Administration. In the year 1923-24 the Native Treasuries of the Cameroons Province received 3 3 per cent, of the taxes. In 1924-25 they received 50 per cent. 232. Any credit balance at the end of the year’s operations remains to the credit of the Native Administration concerned, and is carried forward to increase the surplus funds. 233. In Dikwa the chief event of importance has been the introduction of a new system of book-keeping which enables the Sheikh and Council to exercise a more effective control over the expenditure of the Native Treasury. The Accountant, by this past work, has shown himself capable of new ideas and is now carrying out the scheme with but very little supervision from the Political Officer. 234. The scheme is in brief as follows :—When a payment is required from the Treasury, tile Waziri is informed, and a voucher stating the nature of the payment and its amount is made out. This is checked by the Waziri and sent to the Sheikh who, if he approves of the payment, stamps the voucher with his seal, and this then constitutes the authority for the treasurer to pay. The Accountant enters the payment in his cash book, and at the end of the day’s work enters up the amount involved that day under each head of expenditure and revenue in the ledger. At the conclusion of the month, he makes out a schedule for presenta­ tion to the Council in which is set out under each head the amount spent during the month and e amount left in each Vote. The schedule is then scrutinised by the District Officer. - 30 -

235. Estimates are made out yearly by the Sheikh and Council in consultai ion with the District Officer. 236. It will thus be seen that while the Sheikh has control, within limits, of the finances of the Emirate, there are sufficient safeguards to prevent any injudicious or wasteful expen­ diture, and the District Officer is enabled by checking the cash in the Treasury to detect at any time any mistake or fraud that may have occurred. 237. To explain the large proportions of the expenditure that is paid out to Native Admi­ nistration officials it will be useful to compare the present Treasury system with the practice in vogue under the- German régime. Then the total revenue was paid partly in money and partly in kind to the Sheikh himself. The value was not less than £15,000, from which the Germans took a nominal tribute of £500 per annum and in kind about £200. This left the Sheikh with a large income from which, however, it was customary for him to distribute “ largesse ” freely to the chief men and alms (Sadaka) to the poor—indeed, his popularity depended to a very large extent on his generosity. No accounts were kept nor was there anything of such a rigid nature as a salary. 238. Under the present system definite salaries, duly accounted for in the cash books, are provided for Native Administration officials, and this relieves the Sheikh of much of his financial responsibilities ; but he is still left with a large number of ex-office-holders for whom no posts could be found under the reformed Administration, and who, but for his help, would be on the verge of poverty. He has also the members of deceased Sheikhs’ families to provide for and has to give his “ Sadaka ” on as generous a scale as possible. 239. For this reason his salary was fixed at the comparatively high amount of £3,000 which, with another £4,000 spent on subordinate officials’ salaries, gives a total salary list of roughly £7,000, and this payment is approximately in respect of the same duties for which £15,000 was paid in former days. 240. The financial operations of the Native Administrations of (i) the Adamawa Districts, (ii) Grumpao and Yebbi, (iii) Gashaka are conducted by the Native Treasuries of Yola, Numan and Muri respectively. 241. In the Cameroons Province the organisation of the Native Treasuries has undergone no material change in the year under review. These Treasuries no longer pay for the mainten­ ance of Native Court prisoners in Government gaols.

(iii) Direct Taxation.

242. Direct taxation under the Native Revenue Ordinance takes the form of (a) General Tax or Tribute, (b) Jangali or Cattle Tax. The methods of assessing the former have been fully described in previous reports. They vary from a graduated income tax among the more advanced Mohammedan communities in the north to a Capitation or Poll Tax among the pagans. 243. Jangali or Cattle Tax varies from 2s. to Is. per head of cattle. 244. The incidence of the General Tax in the Northern Cameroons was as follows :—

Per Adult Per Adult Male Per head of the Male. and Female. Total Population S. d. S. d. s. d. Dikwa 5 9.1 2 5.5 1 6.3 Yola Area :— Fulani 511.9 2 8.8 1 8.5 Pagans 1 7.9 0 9.3 0 6 Total 3 3.9 1 6.5 0 11.8 Gashaka 3 1 1 7 1 1 245. In Dikwa the General Tax is estimated to represent on an average 6 per cent, of income. 246. In the Cameroons Province the Capitation Tax varies from 3s. 6 d. to 10s. per adult male.

XVI11. — VITAL STATISTICS.

247. The following are the latest figures for the various divisions of the mandated areas : Adult Males. Adult Females. Children. I otal. Dikwa 50,864 70,091 64,596 185,551 Adamawa District, Grumpao and Yebbi 34,385 39,493 33,252 107.130 Gashaka 3,597 3,299 2,419 9,315 301,996 Total, Northern Cameroons. . 88,846 112,883 100,267 — 31 —

Cameroons Province : — Bamenda 63,431 73,186 61,255 197,872 Mamfe 19,615 22,761 19,793 62,169 Kumba 18,206 24,415 24,401 67,022. Victoria 14,920 9,287 6,758 30,965

Total, Cameroons Province .. 116,172 129,649 112,207 358,028

Grand Total, British Cameroons . . 205,018 242,532 212,474 660,024

248. Some of the above figures are merely estimates. Among the more primitive pagans of the north any attempt to make a rigid count, even if it were feasible, would arouse deep suspicion, if not actual opposition. 249. The following are marriage statistics in Dikwa Emirate (excluding the hill-pagans) : — Men with one wife 25,113 ,, ,, two wives . 7,810 ,, ,, three wives 1,583 ,, four wives 313 250. In the Cameroons Province persons under the age of seventeen are classified as children. Those between four and sixteen are considered to be of “ school age. ” 251. The total number of Europeans in the mandated territory was seventy-seven. Of these sixteen were non-official males and eleven were females. There were no European women or non-officials in the Northern Cameroons.

XIX. — CUSTOMS.

252. The figures relating to the im port trade of the port of Victoria are : —

192 2 1923 1924 £ £ £ Value . 5 2 ,1 7 2 5 7 ,8 6 9 4 5 ,9 4 5 D uty 8 ,4 8 7 9 ,2 3 4 8,546

The principal articles of im port are : —

C l a s s I. — F o o d , D r i n k , a n d T o b a c c o .

1922 1923 1924 Ale, Beer, etc...... I. gals. 1,566 3 ,1 0 8 4,356 Cigars and Cigarettes ...... 100’s 13 ,9 1 8 6 ,3 1 9 2 ,3 4 8 Fish ...... c w t. 9 4 2 1.102 2 ,7 5 8 Flour ...... ,, 189 4 45 9 5 8 Gin ...... I. g als. 4 7 6 379 1,025 Rice ...... cwt. 2,901 2,524 3,123 S a l t ...... 3,902 3,072 3,892 Sugar ...... 110 180 596 T e a ...... lb. 619 1,485 716 Tobacco manufactured and unmanufactured „ 13,670 21,134 12,231 Wines and Vermouth ...... I. gals. 729 814 938 Whisky 790 593 728

C l a s s II. — Raw M aterials and A rticles mainly unm anufactured. 1922 1923 1924 Kerosene ...... I. gals. 24,885 19,938 22,412

Class III. — A rt ic les w h o l l y or m a in ly manufactured . 1922 1923 1924 Bags and Sacks doz. 4,304 3,175 3,104 Cotton-piece goods lb. 36,970 49,150 30,101 Hosiery and underclothing 3.111 5,424 (a) Matches gr. bxs. 309 1,431 585 Motor spirit I. gals. 5,915 9.708 7,197 Soap cwt. 565 549 479 Thread 1,000 yds. 3,121 4,447 (a) Umbrellas No. 929 451 338 (a) Classification now changed. — 32

253. The figures relating to the export trade are : — 1922 1923 1924 £ £ £ Value 140,424 74,363 112,195 Duty 7,904 4,350 6,865 The principal articles of export are : — 1922 1923 1924 Cocoa ...... cwt. 64,215 32,718 63,303 Coffee 532 228 207 Kola-nuts centals 243 160 104 Palm-kernels tons 123 188 232 Palm-oil ,, 55 57 105

P r e v e n t iv e Se r v ic e .

254. There are four Preventive Stations along the Anglo-French frontier :—Tiko, Mpundu, Mundame and Ngab, the last opened in April, 1924. The revenue collected at these stations was £2,237, and the expenditure on their maintenance was £949. The quantities (in tons) of produce exported through these stations were : — Palm Palm Stations Cocoa Kernels Oil T otal Tiko ...... 10 14 — 24 Mpund ...... 47 8 2 57 Mundame . . 281 49 3 333 Ngab ...... 26 6 — 32

364 77 5 446

255. Smuggling from the French Sphere is undoubteély practised on a large scale, especially in tobacco. “ Nationales ” cigarettes are openly sold on the market at threepence the packet of 20 cigarettes, when the duty alone on a packet should be threepence halfpenny. There is, however, no evidence that spirits are being smuggled.

XX.—GENERAL INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION.

256. The following International Convention, in addition to those enumerated in previous reports, has been applied to the British Cameroons : — International Convention relating to the Simplification of Customs Formalities, signed at Geneva on 3rd November, 1923. — 33 -

APPENDIX I.

In the following financial statements figures denoted as “ actual ” represents sums actually received or expended within the British Cameroons. “ Proportional ” figures are based on the ratio of the population of the Cameroons to the total population of Nigeria and the Cameroons.

B ritish Ca m e r o o n s.

Summary of Revenue, 1923-24 Summary of Expenditure, 1923-24. £ £ 1, Licences and Internal Revenue 1,760 1. Pensions and Gratuities 6,354 2. Fees of Court or Office Payment 2. Governor’s Office 371 jÉ for Specific Services 12,075 3. Lieutenant-Governor’s Offices 321 3^ Miscellaneous 5,892 4. Secretariats 2,210 4. Customs 19,649 5. Provincial Administration 28,284 5. Posts and Telegraphs .. 1,359 6. Treasury 2,303 6. Marine 1,119 7. Posts and Telegraphs 6,634 7, Rent of Government Property 284 8. Civil Police 9,842 8. Direct Taxes 24,186 9. Prisons 2,111 ------10. Agriculture 459 66,324 11. Medical 12,981 Deficit. . 53,338 12. Education 4,224 13. Customs 2,881 14. Marine 9,083 15. W. A. F. F. Nigeria Regiment 11,695 16. Miscellaneous 2,997 17. Public Works 5,573 18. Public Works Recurrent 4,425 19. Public Works Extraordinary 3,891 20. Printing 863 21. Judicial 569 22. Legal 319 23. Audit 917 24. Medical Research Institute .. 178 25. Veterinary 167

£119,662 Total Expenditure £119,662

Details of Revenne. (Note :— Figures given to nearest pound.)

H e a d I. Licences and Internal Revenue. Remarks. Licences £ 1. Gun 171 2. Liquor ...... 128 3. Traders' ...... 2 4. Game ...... 257 Other Internal Revenue : — 5. Provincial Court Fines . . 213 118 Northern Cameroons 6. Departmental Fines 23 7 ■ Share of Commission in Plantations Revenue 848

Total ...... £1,760 Actual.

3. — 34 -

H e a d 2. Fees of Court or Office Payment for Specific Services, etc. Remarks. Fees, Receipts and Sales :— £ 1. Provincial Court Fees 59 \ 2. Forestry Department ...... 119 3. Hospital Receipts 38 , , , 1C1 > Actual, 4. Ice (Victoria) loi i 5. Prison Department 51 6. Public Works Department (Sale of Stores) 16 I Reimbursements-in-Aid : — 7. Medical, Refund by Plantations 4,094 ) 8. Marine, Refund by Plantations for Services rendered 5.737 | Actual. 10. Police, Refund by Plantations 160) Widows’ and Orphans’ Pension Scheme 1,686 Proportional.

£12,075

H e a d 3. Miscellaneous. Remarks.

1. Miscellaneous S Actual. 2. School Fees 136 Currency Board Profits 5,417 Proportional.

£5,892

H e a d 4. Customs. Remarks. £ 1. Specific Duties 7,576} Note.—Twice the 2. Ad Valorem Duties 7,044 ( actual. 3. Export Duties 4,797 4. Overtime and Shipping Fees 135 Actual. 5. Warehouse and Customs 97)

£19,649

H e a d 5. Posts and Telegraphs. Remarks. £ 1. Sale of Stamps, Registered Envelopes, etc. 479 2. Commission on Money Orders and Postal Orders 22 3. Transmission of Telegrams 354 4. Telephone Rentals 366 5. Postage on Parcels from other Countries 134 6. Telegraphic Abbreviated Addresses 2 7. Miscellaneous

£1,359 Actual. H e a d 6. Marine. Remarks. £ 1. Government Craft (Public Services) 968 2. Miscellaneous 151

£1,119 Actual. H e a d 7. Rent of Government Property 1. Crown Lands and Buildings £284 Actual. Direct Taxes. £ 1. Poll Tax, Cameroons Province 15,271 2. Jangali, Cameroons Province 333 General Tax, Northern Cameroons 5,642 Jangali, Northern Cameroons 2,940

£24,186 Actual. — 35 —

Details of Expenditure.

(Note : — Figures given as nearest pound, and items less than £1 in amount omitted.)

H e a d 1. Pensions and Gratuities. Remarks. £ Pensions, General, Cameroons Province 5 ,3 6 4 Actual. Pensions, General, Northern Cameroons ' 5 2 5 Estimated. Widows’ and Orphans’ Pensions, plus management charges 4 6 5 Proportional.

£ 6 ,3 5 4 H e a d 2

Governor’s Office £371 Proportional.

H e a d 3. Remarks.

Lieutenant-Governor’s Offices £321 Proportional.

H e a d 4.

Secretariats £ 2 ,2 1 0 Proportional.

H e a d 5. Provincial Administration. Remarks. Personal Emoluments — £ £ Cameroons Province 14,208 Northern Cameroons. . 4,952 19,160 Passages— Cameroons Province 2,121 Northern Cameroons 340 2,461 Transport— Cameroons Province 1,794 Actual figures are Northern Cameroons. . 907 given for the Came­ 2,701 roons Province. Transport Allowances— The figures for the Cameroons Province 511 Northern Came­ Northern Cameroons. . 118 roons are estimated. 6 2 9 Travelling Allowances— Cameroons Province 612 Northern Cameroons. . 368 9 8 0 Bush Allowances— Cameroons Province 96 Northern Cameroons. . 83 179 Uniforms for Messengers 3 8 i Station Labour . . 1,401 Special Runners, Witnesses and Miscellaneous Expenses 9 5 1 Sheriffs’ F e e s ...... 3 Actual. Staff of Rest Houses 60 Telephones ...... 120' Clearing Mungo and Mama Rivers 3 8 6 , Sundries, Northern Cameroons 71 Repairs, Stationery and Contingencies. £ 2 8 ,2 8 4 - 36 —

H ead 6. Treasury Remarks. £ Personal Emoluments 1,384 Passages 58 Transport 13 Railway Transport ■28 Transport Allowances 19 Travelling Allowances 6 Bush Allowances 3 Rent 2 Stationery 18 Typewriters . . . . 5 Contingencies 3 Telephones 8 Specie Boxes and Bags 20 Conveyance of Specie and Cash Remittances 736

£2,303 Proportional. H ead 7. Posts and Telegraphs Remarks. £ Personal Emoluments 4,293 Passages 174 Transport 135 Transport Allowances 59 Travelling Allowances 113 Books and Forms, etc. 249 Uniforms 84 Overtime Fees 57 Maintenance of Telegraphs 365 Maintenance, Postal 142 Maintenance of Telephones 94 Mail Services 281

£6,046 Actual. Less amounts paid by various Departments for Telephones 357 Do.

£5,689 Headquarters .. . . . , ...... 945 Proportional.

T o t a l ...... £6,634

H ea d 8. Civil Police. Remarks. £ Personal Emoluments ...... 6,893 Transport Allowances ...... 50 Travelling Allowances ...... 40 Transport ...... 150 Contingencies ...... 10 Clothing and Accoutrements ...... 640 Arms and Ammunition ...... 15 Police Information Fund ...... 5 Rations for Untried Prisoners ...... 2 Stationery ...... 10 Telephones ...... 90

Cameroons Province ...... 7,905 Actual. Northern Cameroons ...... 1,937 Proportional.

£9,842 — 37 -

H e a d 9. Prisons. Remarks. £ Personal Emoluments . . 1,071 Prisoners’ Rations 643 Tools and Prison Necessaries 214 Uniforms 37 Telephones 15 1,980 Actual. Headquarters 131 " Proportional.

2,110 H e a d 10. Agriculture. Remarks. Upkeep of Victoria Botanical Gardens £459 Actual.

H e a d 11. Medical. Remarks. £ Personal Emoluments 8,492 Passages 666 Transport 389 Transport Allowances 65 I Travelling Allowances 151 Sanitary Labour 444 Sanitary Equipment 257' Diets, Provisions and Necessaries 223 Actual. Drugs and Instruments 9981 Vaccination Expenses 122 Clothing and Bedding 3421 Medical Comforts 61 Fuel, Light and Sundries 1 Telephones 45 Headquarters 725 Proportional.

£12,981

H ead 12. Education. Remarks. £ Personal E m olum ents ...... 3,072 Passages 75 Transport 220 j Travelling Allowances 107 f Actual. Office Books and Contingencies 25, Books, Equipment and Apparatus 305 Pupil Teachers 173' Empire Day Celebration 60 Headquarters 187 Proportional

£4,224

H e a d 13. Customs. Remarks. £ Personal Emoluments 1,697, Passages 103 ; Transport ...... 132 Transport Allowances .. 281 Travelling Allowances . . 78 Actual. Books and Stores 35 Uniforms and Clothing 1 Preventive Services 4061 Expenses of Boats and Canoes 2 Telephones 15, Headquarters 384 Proportional,

£2,881 — 38 —

H ea d 14.

Marine. Remarks. £ Personal Emoluments 4,969 Passages 215 Transport 9 Travelling Allowances 40 Uniforms and Tailoring Materials 49 j General Labour . . 382 Boats’ Crews 1381 Actual. Upkeep Repairs, Necessaries (Marine 852 - Coal and Wood Fuel. Labour and Necessaries 492 Oil Fuel 715 Upkeep of Lighthouses 119 Telephones 42 Special Expenditure Launch “ Lungasi ” new engine and overhaul 38 4 . “ Sir Frederick ” new boiler tubes and dinghy 113 Actual. Headquarters 5 6 4 Proportional.

£9,083

H ead 15.

W. A . F. F., Nigeria Regiment. Remarks.

11,695 Proportional.

H e a d 16.

Miscellaneous. Remarks. £ Typewriters 39 Stationery 576 Miscellaneous 10 Rent 1,823 Refunds . . 105 Loss on German Marks 431 Loss on Government Money 13

£2,997 Actual.

H e a d 17.

Public Works Department. Remarks. £ Personal Emoluments ...... 4,042 Passages ...... 548 Transport ...... 47 Transport Allowances ...... 128 Travelling Allowances ...... 58 Bush Allowances ...... 56 Books, Forms and Necessaries ...... 54 Camp Equipment ...... 77 Instruments and Drawing Materials ...... 1 Labour ...... 243 Telephones ...... 30

£5,284 Actual. Headquarters ...... 289 Proportional.

£5,573 39 -

H e a d 18. Public Works Recurrent. Remarks. A. — Buildings : — £ Current Repairs, etc., to Government Buildings 2,753 Furniture, Officers’ Quarters 180 Furniture, Public Buildings 37 Temporary Buildings ...... 376 B. — Communications : — General Maintenance of Roads and Bridges 738 C. — Waterworks : — Maintenance of Tanks, Wells and Water Supplies . . 134 D. — Miscellaneous : — Tools and Repairs to Plant and Engineering Stores 105 Foreshores, Walls and Piers 31 Safes and Specie Boxes 71

£4,425 Actual.

H e a d 19. Public Works Extraordinary. Remarks. £ Victoria-Meanja Road 3,708 Clerks’ Quarters, Victoria 159 Loss and Depreciation of Stores 24

£3,891 Actual.

H e a d 20. Printing. Remarks. £ Personal Emoluments 644 Passages 20 Transport 3 Transport Allowances 2 Bush Allowances 2 Rent Allowances 4 Paper Ruling and Bookbinding Materials 152 Contingencies 2 Upkeep of Type and Printing Equipment, including Ink and Stereotyping Materials 11 Upkeep of Machinery and Necessaries 2 Fuel and Engine Stores 4 Overtime 6 Telephones 1 Special Expenditure : — New Electric Motors 10

£863 Proportional. H e a d 21. Judicial. Remarks. £ Personal Emoluments 466 Passages 13 Transport 10 Railway Transport 27 1 ransport Allowances 8 Travelling Allowances 13 Stationery 3 Typewriters 1 Contingencies and Petty Office Expenses 1 Supreme Court Library 2 Crown Witnesses’Expenses 11 Remission of Fines and Refund of Hearing Fees 6 Counsel for Criminals in Capital Cases 2 Labour 2 Telephones 4

£569 Proportional. — 40 —

H e a d 22. Legal. Remarks. £ Personal Emoluments 270 Passages 18 Transport 10 Transport Allowances 6 Travelling Allowances 3 Stationery 1 Telephones 4 Expenses in connection with Crown Cases 6 Books for Law Library 1

£319 Proportional.

H e a d 23. Audit. Remarks. £ Personal Emoluments 753 Passages 48 Transport 10 Railway Transport 14 Transport Allowances 13 Travelling Allowances 13 Bush Allowances 3 Stationery 3 Telephones 3 Share of Home Expenditure 57

£917 Proportional. H e a d 24. Medical Research Institute Remarks. £ Personal Emoluments 119 Passages 8 Transport Allowances 6 Purchase of Books 2 Labour 7 Equipment and Necessaries 19 Upkeep of Laboratory and Animals 5 Yellow Fever 3 Honorarium to Mrs. A. Connal 7 Printing and Publication of Scientific Papers 2

£178 Proportional.

H e a d 25. Veterinary. Remarks. £ Personal Emoluments 111 Passages 10 Transport 7 Railway Transport 8 Transport Allowances 5 Travelling Allowances 6 Bush Allowances 1 Labour 6 Animals for Experimental Purposes . . 1 Instruments 3 Special Expenditure : — Stock Farm, Zaria 9

£167 Proportional. — 41 —

APPENDIX n .

REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE OF NATIVE TREASURIES NORTHERN CAMEROONS.

Dikwa Emirate.

N ative T reasury. — R evenue and E xpenditure, 1924. Revenue. Expenditure. £ £ General Tax (75 per cent.) .. .. 8,229 Central Administration .. .. 3,906 Jangali (Cattle Tax) (75 per cent.) .. 2,970 District Heads ...... 1,832 Court Fees, etc...... 314 Village Heads 1,258 Miscellaneous 75 Judicial 556 Treasury ...... 98 Police ...... 626 Prisons ...... 149 Various ...... 84 Works Recurrent ...... 556 Capital Works ...... 788 Education ...... 105 Miscellaneous ...... 48

10,006 Balance on year ...... 1,582

£11,588 £11,588

Districts Administered as Part of Yola Emirate.

N ative T r e a su r y . — R e v e n u e a n d E x p e n d it u r e , 1924. Revenue. Expenditure. £ £ Tribute (50 per cent.) . . . . 2,837 Central Administration . . . . 980 Jangali (Cattle Tax) (50 per cent.) .. 1,704 District Heads ...... 1,258 Fines and Fees . . . • ■ • 177 Village Heads . . . . - . 359 Miscellaneous . . • . ■ • 318 Judicial ...... 484 ------Treasury ...... 60 5,036 P o l i c e ...... 616 Deficit on year . . . . • ■ 647 Prisons ...... 490 Various ...... 120 Works Recurrent ...... 390 Capital Works ...... 100 Education ...... 324 Medical and Sanitary . . . . 193 Agriculture ...... 14 Miscellaneous ...... 295

£5,683 £5,683

Gashaka District (Muri Province),

N a tiv e T r e a s u r y . — R e v e n u e and E x p e n d it u r e , 1924. Revenue. Expenditure. £ £ Tribute (50 per cent.) .. .. 72 District Head ...... 120 Jangali (Cattle Tax) (50 per cent.) .. 246 Village Heads ...... 37 Fines and Fees ...... 18 Scribe and Messenger .. .. 29 Miscellaneous ...... 9 Judicial ...... 30 Police and Prisons ...... 44 £260 Balance on year ...... 85

£345 £345 — 42 —

CAMEROONS PROVINCE.

N a t iv e T r e a s u r ie s . — R e v e n u e a n d E x p e n d it u r e , 1923-24.

Victoria Native Treasury.

R e v e n u e . I.—Tribute : — £ Poll Tax, 33>/s percent.. 1,884 II.—Native Courts :— Fees 946 Fines and Confiscations .. 353 1, III.—Other Receipts :— Printing on Repayment 56 Interest on Investments. . 18 School Fees 13 Market and Cattle Tolls . . 150 Miscellaneous 19 256

£3,439

E x p e n d it u r e . £ Central District Heads 362 Village Heads 250 Judicial Sitting Fees to Members of Courts 444 Court Scribes ...... 270 31 Messengers 374 Uniforms for Messengers 48 Remission of Fees and Fmes 23 Maintenance of Witnesses 22 1,181 Treasury : — Clerk at £48-6-78 52 Accounting Clerk at £36-6-60 60 Various :— Transport. . 14 Printing : Salaries 195 Stationery 35 244 Works Recurrent :— Repairs and Buildings 147 Roads and Bridges 194 Salaries 59 400 Education :— Teachers 138 Contingencies 1 Books 68 Grants-in-Aid 98 305 Medical and Sanitary :— Sanitary Labour 10

Miscellaneous : — Stationery 16 Tax Discs 15 Contingencies 4 35

Total — 43 —

F in a n c ia l S t a t e m e n t . £ Balance, 1st April, 1923 ...... 545 Revenue, 1923-24 ...... 3,440

3,985 Expenditure, 1923-24 ...... 2,848

Balance, 1st April. 1924 ...... £1,137

Kumba Native Treasury.

R e v e n u e . I.—Tribute : — £ £ Poll Tax (33 1/ 3 percent.) ...... 2,388

II.—Native Courts :— Fees ...... 699 Fmes and Confiscations ...... 327 1,026 III.—Other Receipts : — Interest on Investments...... 29 School Fees ...... 25 Market and Cattle Tolls ...... 5 Miscellaneous ...... 3 62

T o t a l ...... £3,476

E x p e n d it u r e . Central ...... £ £

District Heads ...... 404

Village Heads ...... 630

Judicial : — Sitting Fees to Members of Courts ...... 147 Court Scribes ...... • • ■ 291 28 Messengers ...... 281 Uniforms for Messengers ...... 27 Remission of Fees and Fines ...... 9 Maintenance of Witnesses ...... 1 756 Treasury :— Clerk at £48-6-78 ...... • 36 Accounting Clerk ...... • 9 45 Various :— Transport...... • • 24

Works Recurrent : — Repairs to Buildings 106 Roads and Bridges 281 Road Inspectors. . 40 427 Capital Works : — New Road Kumba-Bakossi 98

Education : — Teachers at various rates ...... ■ 227 Contingencies ...... • ■ 2 Books and Equipment ...... 80 4 ^ 309

Carried forward — 44 —

£ £ Brought, forward 2,286 Medical and Sanitary : — Sanitary Inspector and Dispenser at £60-6-96...... 60 Labour ...... 1 61 Miscellaneous :—■ Tax discs ...... 16 Contingencies ...... 52 68 Total £2,822

F in a n c ia l St a t e m e n t . £ Balance, 1st April, 1923 1,471 Revenue, 1923-24 3,476

4,947 Expenditure, 1923-24 2,822

2,125 Less advances not recovered by 31st March, 1924 3

Balance, 1st April, 1924 £2,122

Mamfe Native Treasury.

R e v e n u e . I.—Tribute : — £ £ Poll Tax, 33 */3 per cent 1,761 II.—Native Courts : — Fees ...... 1,197 Fines and Confiscations ...... 192 1,389 III.—Other Receipts :— Interest on Investments...... 26 School Fees ...... 45 Market and Cattle Tolls ...... 1 Miscellaneous ...... 498 570

Total £3,720

E x p e n d it u r e . £ £ Village Heads 438 Judicial : — Stipends to Presidents and Members of Courts, at various rates, 16 at £30-£72 ...... 534 Sitting Fees to Members of 8 Native Courts...... 150 8 Native Court Scribes, at £36-£78 ...... 366 52 Messengers, at various rates (54 in 1923-24) . . . . 542 Good Conduct Pay ...... 11 Uniform for Messengers ...... 28 Remission of Fees and Fines ...... 10 1,641

Treasury : — Clerk, at £48-6-78 ...... 7 0 Various :— 1. Transport 6 3 Works Recurrent : — 1. Repairs to Buildings ...... 28 2. Roads and Bridges ...... 31 5 9

Carried forward £ 2^71 — 45 £ £ Brought forward 2,271

Education : — 1. Supervising Schoolmaster 144 2. Teachers 397 3. Contingencies 5 4. Books Equipment 128 674 Miscellaneous : — Stationery 2 Tax Discs 16 Contingencies 17 35

Total £2,980

F in a n c ia l S t a t e m e n t . £ Balance, 1st April, 1923 610 Revenue, 1923-24 . . 3,720

4,330 Expenditure, 1923-24 2,980

Balance, 1st April, 1924 £1,350

Bamenda Native Treasury.

R e v e n u e . Tribute :— £ £ Poll Tax, 33| per cent. 1,602 Jangali (Cattle Tax), 33^ per cent. 167 1,769 Native Courts :— Fees 822 Fines and Confiscations 83 905 Other Receipts : — School Fees 5 Market and Cattle Tolls 163 168

Total £2,842

E x p e n d it u r e . £ £ District Heads 506 Village Heads 372

Judicial :— Sitting Fees to Members of Courts 272 Court Scribes 169 Messengers 330 Uniforms for Messengers 42 Remission of Fees and Fines 6 819 Treasury :— Clerks 87

Various : — Transport. .. 31

Works Recurrent : — Repairs to Buildings 66 Roads and Bridges 139 205 Carried forward £ 2,020 — 46 —

£ £ Brought forward...... 2,020 Education :— Teachers ...... 135 Books, Equipment ...... 71 206 Medical and Sanitary : — Market Keepers ...... 16 Vaccinations ...... 27 Lymph and Drugs ...... 10

5 3 Miscellaneous :— Stationery ...... 2 Typewriters ...... , . . 32 Tax Discs ...... 16 Contingencies ...... 3 5 3

T o t a l ...... £2,332

F inancial Statement. £ Balance, 1st April, 1923 ...... 862 Revenue, 1923-24 ...... 2,842

3,704 Expenditure, 1923-24 ...... 2,332

Balance, 1st April, 1924 ...... £1,372

APPENDIX HI. (See parag rap h 208.)

Land Tenure in Dikwa Emirate. 1. The report on Land Tenure in Dikwa, which follows, should be prefaced by drawing attention to the following points. Firstly, the Dikwa Emirate authorities have to administer three sets of ideas on land tenure of influence varying in strength in different sections of the Emirate, in accordance with the distribution of population by successive waves of immigration. Secondly, when the British Government in 1921 assumed the administration of a portion of the Dikwa Emirate, which in 1916 had not been definitely included in its sphere, numerous complaints were made by claimants to land rights, complaints which were prosecuted with considerable acerbity and persistence. These complaints produced a clear impression that individual rights over specific pieces of land existed as well as claims, never fully admitted by the paramount native authority, of a right to sell or let land, or to evict tenants, or leave land idle. Thirdly, while further enquiry has shown that this impression was a correct one, it has also shown that these ideas were only strong in the areas where immigrant Arab clans had become predominant and had comparatively recently acquired lands by absorption, compulsion or what might be termed forced sale, the ideas not unnaturally spreading to Kanuri among whom they settled. Fourthly, even here this sense of individual rights over specific pieces of land was found to apply very largely, if not almost exclusively, to land of certain valuable soil known as11 firki, which had been improved by heavy labour in clearing and ditching and diversion of flood water. Fifthly, side by side with this set of ideas there held sway two other sets of ideas, viz. (a) the idea of communal land vested in a petty clan chief as trustee, held by the people who may be roughly described as the original inhabitants, and (b) the idea of occupation of inde­ finite duration with an annual payment due to the paramount chief, i.e., to the Sultan of Bornu, and with a custom rather than right of inheritance and with no claim of right to sell. The latter idea prevailed among the Ivanuri-speaking tribes, who form the major section of the population of all Bornu. Sixthly, in all three sets of ideas there existed the one common feature th a t the p a ra m o u n t chief, not the Sheikh of Dikwa, was regarded as invested with the ultimate control of the land. This conception, natural to the Kanuri, w as enforced on the original inhabitants about a century ago, and was accepted by the Arabs, whose special patron w as the first Kanenii Sheikh of Bornu (circa 1808-1835) and who in administrative matters followed the Sheikh direct and not, like the Kanuri, through regional fief-holders. — 47 -

Seventhly, the present authorities of the Dikwa Emirate aim in their administration of these ideas of land tenure less at coalescing these sets of ideas than at tolerating and, if need be, enforcing customs sanctioned locally by public opinion, while insisting on the Sheikh’s right to administer the land to the maximum benefit of the community as a whole. In particular, therefore, the following principles are applied in accordance with the spirit of Section 5 of the Land and Native Rights Ordinance, which prescribes “ regard to Native Laws and Customs existing in the districts in which such land is situated, ” and of Section 15, which lays down that“ the devolution of the rights of an occupier upon death shall be regulated by the native custom existing in the locality. ” These principles are, namely : — (a) Of ensuring that any native desiring land in any locality shall obtain it, provided the land in that locality is not fully in actual use by the local inhabitants ; e.g., a person who has claims to more land than he can farm may in exceptional circumstances be compelled to permit another to farm on a part of this land on terms generally admitting his claims to some extent. (b) Of permitting the fullest enjoyment of the fruits of special labour done on land by clearing, ditching, etc., to a man and his family and heirs so long as that does not keep valuable land out of cultivation. (c) Of tolerating the payment and collection of “ rents ” or customary payments so long as these are not objectionable in their nature, or do not rise above the customary levels sanctioned by public opinion. So successful has the administration of the Sheikh and his Council been in this matter that where the first District Officer in 1921 was, in the Arab district of Rann and Balge, besieged by excited land complainants, the District Officer in 1924 reports of these two districts that “ for the last two years scarcely a single land complaint has been heard. ” 2. It may be useful to consider this question historically, so that the various influences that have been in action to bring about the present situation may be examined and reasons deduced for the different customs that exist in different parts of the Emirate. 3. The chief influences may be reduced to four in number : — (1) The custom of the original historical inhabitants or Saus. (2) Later Kanuri customs. (3) The influx of Arabs from the East. (4) The present administration.

4. (i) Land Tenure in Sau Times. — The Saus are the earliest people of whom we have any information. Very little is known of them, but traces of them are found in legends containing exaggerated accounts of their enormous size, strength and valour ; and in remains which they have left behind. 5. Some traces of their Land Tenure system have come down to the present day, both in tradition and in remnants of customs that can be detected at the present time. Mai Ngalama, i.e., the chief of Ngala (Mai—chief) has perhaps the most complete knowledge of these traditions and he says that the Saus were originally non-Mohammedan and had no chiefs—every man was m fact a law unto himself. Then, however, there was a great meeting and the chieftainship was offered to each of four brothers, the offer being made first to the eldest and last to the youngest. All except the youngest refused, and he, Ibrahim, reigned for ninety years, being succeeded by Uthman. Tradition also states that, as the accepted Chief of the Ngala Saus, the land was placed in the Mai-Ngalama’s hands, who was forbidden to sell any of the communal land. It is also stated that no farm-tax of any kind was ever paid to a Sultan of Bornu until shortly before the reign of the first Sheikh of the Kanemi dynasty, i.e., circa 1800. 6. There are one or two inferences that mayr be made from these traditions. The Saus were originally pagans, then they elected chieftains and the names of the first two chiefs were Ibrahim and Uthman, i.e., Arabic names. It may perhaps be inferred from this that the latter Saus became converts to Mohammedanism and that with their new faith came the ideas of chief­ tainship and some of the features of the Mohammedan social system. Also, it would appear that possibly on account of the strength of these Mais they were left alone by the Bornu Sultans until comparatively recently. 7. While Ngala is the most fruitful in tradition, it is in Ndufu that the old customs seem to have been least affected by subsequent events. Except for the Arab hamlet lands there are no so-called land owners ” — neither is the principle of inheritance much in evidence. Each man retains the farm that has been allotted to him as long as he payrs his “ Ngaji ” (rent or custom) yearly to the Mai. When he dies, the farm reverts to the Mai, who, however, generally arranges for the farm to be carried on by a son, if there is one of age. In the case of a small coy, the farm will be given to another man and another farm will be given to the boy when he Becomes of age. In the case of villages dependent on Mai Ndufuma, the custom seems to be hat lands in the village and immediate vicinity are controlled by the Village-Head, who annually Makes a small present to-the Mai. Land further from the village comes under the Mai. uymg and selling is unknown and in the case of his dependent villages the Mai states that the and *n the vicinity of the village was not sold by his ancestors, but granted for the purpose NHf^Hg a v^ aSe> as indeed, he said, the fact of the annual present proved. Many of the 1 uiu farmers were questioned and there can be no doubt that their views on the subject are the same as Mai Ndufuma’s. “ Ngaji ” is readily paid and no land disputes arise in his country. 8. It may, therefore, be inferred from the above that under the Sau regime land was communal and was held by the Mai as trustee for the community. He could grant land for the formation of villages, but could not sell. The principle of inheritance would appear not to have existed. 9. (ii) Kanuri Customs. — With the Kanuri conquest new ideas came into being. The chief contributions of the Kanuris seem to have been the idea of a paramount chief in the person of the Sheikh (instead of a collection of independent Mais), the principles of inheritance and of what may be called “ lease ” in perpetuity. 10. One of the fundamental principles of the old Kanuri system was that all lands were held directly from the Sheikh whatever might be the particular local customs with regard to the tenure of land. This is very clearly shown from a consideration of the system of Govern1 ment and taxation of the time. 11. Thus in early days, the country was parcelled out into11 fiefs ” each with its fiefholder (chima). There were too classes of 11 chima ” — the 11 chima kura ” (big chima) and the 11 chima gana ” (small chima). The “ chima kura ” was a personage of the Sheikh’s court and lived in the capital city. The “ chima ganas ” were distributed amongst the fiefs of the 11 chima kuras ” and were their representatives. 1'2. The two chief taxes were the 11 Sadaka ” and the 11 Binimram.” At the conclusion of the harvest the Sultan appointed a number of 11 Sadakamas ” or collectors of the Sadaka and distributed them amongst the chima kuras by whom they were sent out into the fiefs. Here the wardheads of the larger towns and thevillage-heads of the smaller towns were required to give a return of the actual number of measures of corn harvested during the year. A demand was then made for the payment of one-tenth of this quantity to the sadakama, who transported it to the Sultan’s granaries at the capital city. 13. The Binimram (which corresponded very closely with the General Tax of the present day) was, however, collected by the chi mas. It belonged to them and not to the Sultan who had no interest in this tax at all. It will thus be seen that the Sultan claimed the Land Tax and the chimas the Property Tax — the chimas were in fact in no sense land-owners. 14. That the idea of a paramount chief was a gradual growth in the old strongholds of the Saus — probably accelerated by force — would appear from Mai Ngalama’s statement that no 11 Sadaka ” was paid till shortly before the fall of the Kanuri Sultans and the rise of the first Kane mi Sheikh, i.e., circa 18Ô0. Now, however, the idea is universal and no one, peasant or noble, would deny the Sheikh’s supremacy in all matters, including that of land. Over land disputes of any magnitude, it was to the Sheikh that the disputants went. Over small questions such as damage done to crops, the 11 Sharia ” was sufficient, or possibly an appeal to the village-head as the Sheikh’s representative ; but over important questions of land boundaries, rights of occupancy of land, usurpation of occupancy of land, etc., the appeal was to the Sheikh alone. 15. The principles of inheritance and of11 lease ” in perpetuity are closely allied and may be considered together. It seems probable that, when a man was granted land on which to form a village, he took with him his friends and from the land thus granted to him he allotted areas to these friends on a scale depending on each man’s wealth — particularly as regards slaves. This land was held on the usual condition of the annual gift. As long as this was given the usual rules of inheritance were followed. If, owing to bad times and smaller number of dependents, the holder was unable to farm all his land, the village-head could be called upon to make arrangements with regard to the unused portion. It would seem that this is the origin of the 11 lease ” in perpetuity held from a private individual as distinct from the village-head, and of the long ancestry of some private 11 owners. ” 16. It will be useful to consider the alternatives that existed when a man wished to settle in a village and to acquire a farm there. In the first place it was to the village-head that he applied and, as usual in Bornu, took with him a present, which custom made the price of a mat. Then after discussion the village-head could either— (i) give him an uncleared space in the bush — (ii) give him (a) a vacant farm which might be in the hands of a private individual as mentioned above, or (b) a farm which had lapsed to the village-head either through migrations or lack of heirs. In the case of (i) the man had all rights of inheritance provided he gave a yearly present to the village-head. The same applies to (ii) (b) but probably the 11 mat ” money was increased. In (ii) (a) the man paid 11 Ngaji ” to the “ owner ” of the farm but nothing further to the village-head. The present for his farm was given by the 11 owner. ” If the 11 owner refused to let his unused farms in this way, it became a matter of complaint to the Sheikh. 17. This would seem to be the general principle of the old pre-Arab Kanuri Land Tenure System. Many variations exist at the present day, but as it is difficult to say whether these are innovations brought about by the combination of the various influences or were original to the Kanuri, they will be described later. 18. The term 11 Ngaji ” that has been used above seems difficult to define, and to diffe­ rentiate from the 11 present ” given to the village-head. There are three terms in use, viz., - 49 -

“ kessase, ” 11 Ngaji ” and “ ajine ” which are used almost as synonyms. It seems certain that thev were all tithes, but two explanations are offered of the difference between them. One ' that the man who receives the tithes speaks of his “ kessase, ” the man who gives, of his “ ncaji. ” The other, that it is a matter of degree. The tithes of a large farm being consi­ derable, are called “ kessase, ” of a medium-sized farm “ ngaji ” and of a small farm “ ajine. ” 19. Ngaji is, properly speaking, only used of tithes paid in corn to a private individual as distinct from the present given to the village-head. Ngaji was compulsory, the “ present ” voluntary, but as non-payment of the present could lead to the loss of the farm, it would seem that the voluntary nature of the present consisted in the fact that the amount was at the dis­ cretion of the farmer. It was therefore not a tithe, it was given to the village-head in virtue of his office and also as thanks for the past harvest and in hope that the next year’s harvest would be plentiful. In this more or less religious sense it is spoken of as “ harram. ” 20. (iii) Arab Influence. — About three hundred years ago the first notable immigration of Arabs took place. At first they do not seem to have affected very much the Kanuri system of Land Tenure. Thus the village-head of Deima (who is an Arab) states that when his ances­ tors came from the east they were granted a tract of land on which to settle by Mai Ndufuma, to whom every year they gave “ harram. ” This consisted of an annual present of butter and a ram with a triennal present of an ox ; that is, it was held in the same way that a Kanuri village-head held his land. 21. But when later the first Kanemi Sheikh in 1808 invited certain Arab Chiefs to enter Bornu to assist him in his wars, a new element, that of purchase, was introduced. The chiefs and their families formed part of the Sheikh’s Court and their followers were settled on the land. Their descendants are to be found in all parts of Dikwa Emirate, but in largest numbers on the “ firki ” lands to the east. 22. The only method by which they could obtain land was by ousting the Kanuris from these parts and this process was undoubtedly aided by the influence of the great Arab families at the Bornu Court. The method of purchase — probably by forced sale — was often adopted and the Arabs settled down on the farms they had purchased. It is, however, to be noted that this purchase again carried with it the duty of paying 11 Sadaka ” to the Sheikh. 23. The Arabs are generally speaking more vigorous and more prolific in children than the Kanuri, and their influence increased. The process of purchasing land from the Kanuris continued, and large Arab estates were formed until in some parts of the eastern districts local Kanuri influence has disappeared. It will thus be seen that the Arabs introduced the system of purchase and with it that of rents by agreement paid by private tenants, a system by which the “ owner ” as a private individual possessed all rights to his land, though holding it direct from the Sheikh. 24. (iv) The present Administration. — Under the British Administration the principal administrative measures which have affected this matter have been : — (1) the substitution of salaried and locally resident District Headmen for chimas ; (2) the joining together of the “ Sadaka ” and “ Birnimram ” into one General Tax. 25. It might be surmised from this that, as the outward sign — the sadaka ” — of the Sheikh’s sovereignty over the land has disappeared, by so much has the principle been weakened. This, however, is far from being the case ; and before considering the actual state of affairs at the present day, it will be useful to examine the Sheikh’s position. 26. From the point of view of the peasantry there can be no doubt but that the Sheikh is recognised as the actual owner of the land. Over purely land questions the people still go to the Sheikh and not the Native Courts. The principle is as strongly held now as at any time. 27. As for the Sheikh’s attitude we can do no better than refer to what he has said and done. As regards the question of Kanuri versus Arab, two examples of his decisions will be given — one in which the complaint was against a Kanuri and one against an Arab. 28. The first is taken from the Report for 1921. One Hussein living in the neighbouring state of Mandara had been in the habit for some three years of coming to Dikwa for three months every year and renting a piece of “ firki ” land at the rate of a “ liar ” (dollar) per small measure of land. He then decided to migrate with all his community, but the Kanuri “ land-owners ” , scared of these intruders, refused to let. Hussein appealed to the Sheikh, who, finding on enquiry that there was plenty of land for all and that the old rents were extortionate, decreed a division of the land with the condition that, if the harvest were reasonable, the Arabs should Pay to the Kanuri “ Khasham-al-jurab,” i.e., a tenth of the crop. 29. The second is from the north-eastern corner of the Emirate. Bulama Adam, of Tunis, in Rann District, originally inherited a somewhat large area on which had been laid out by his ancestor twelve farms, all acquired by purchase. Bulama Adam farmed the whole with his two brothers, but, after a quarrel with his brothers, he claimed the whole of the land. As be could not possibly farm it himself, and would most certainly have refused to let the land to bis brothers, the Sheikh apportioned it out himself. 30. In 1921, the Sheikh proposed to condemn publicly at one of the Mohammedan festivals the right claimed to raise rents at will and evict tenants. It was, however, pointed out to him that this would be premature and that his own action in the individual cases that came before him would be sufficient to let his views on the subject be known, and possibly cause — 50 — the change to be effected gradually. If this were not the case, it would be possible to deal with the matter by decree in later years. How successful this policy has been will be described later 31. Again, to quote from the report for 1921 : — The Sheikh of Dikwa and his Councillors and the chiefs generally hold views more communistic or advanced in the European sense of the word. No doubt they regard private property in land as an infraction of sovereignty. But they naturally want to encourage immigration, especially Arab immigration, and they object to the “ dog in the manger ” attitude of Kanuri who make excessive claims to land, refuse to let or sell, or charge high rents and use the proceeds to pay their taxes. These opinions have been expressed in so many words to me by the present Sheikh, including the remark about the tax.

32. Again, cases have occurred in which purchases of land on a big scale have resulted in the eviction of tenants, and the Sheikh has announced that he will not recognise such in future. 33. From the above it is obvious that the Sheikh still claims and possesses his old proprie­ tary rights, that he regards the acquisition of large estates and the charging of high rents as inimical to the interests of the community, and that he will not countenance either of these practices. In short his policy may be said to be that of ensuring an equitable distribution of land to all who require it without upsetting old customs more than possiblein fact it approaches both in spirit and letter the Land Laws of Nigeria. 34. When we turn to the present state of Land Tenure, we find, as might be expected, that conditions are in a state of flux, the present-day customs depending on the extent of the influence exerted by the above factors in any given locality. Before drawing general conclu­ sions it will be as well to examine in detail the customs in three or four places. 35. (1) Ngala. — Here Kanuri influence is the strongest. Sau customs are now little in evidence, and Arab customs are seen only in Arab villages. For example, the principle of ■■ lease ” in perpetuity is general and ordinary laws of inheritance are followed. Three only of his subordinate village-heads give Mai Ngalama a “ present. ” This latter change has most probably been brought about under European administration, which has generally tended to do away with this type of “ present. ” 36. (2) Wulgo. — Here the special conditions of the foreshore of Chad, where the farms are annually covered by water, have brought into existence quite special rules. Farmers who have farms on the shore immediately above the usual high-water line, have rights of land extending into Chad of the same width as their shore farms. As the water recedes from the high-water mark, it is watched by the village elders and when the water has retreated a certain distance the village head proclaims a limit to the farms. Any land that is uncovered after this is treated as communal property, the allotting of which is in the hands of the village head, who follows the usual Kanuri proceeding in the division thereof. If the water does not recede from a man’s farm he will ask a neighbour to let him farm on part of his. When his own farm is fit to plant, he will make a return present of one-tenth of the produce of the loaned farm. Any dam built must not obstruct the usual flow of waters to a neighbour’s prejudice. Farm land in this neighbourhood is so valuable that “ lease ” in perpetuity does not exist. When a farm is hired, a fixed term of years is always arranged for. To repay a debt, a farmer may let to his creditor part of his farm. The size of the part lent and the number of years for which it is to be lent form the subject of arbitration, the arbitrators being the village head and elders. The principle of inheritance is acknowledged. 37. (3) Ndufu. — Kanuri influence has affected the old Sau customs much less than in Ngala. There is a very strong feeling that the land is still in the hands of the Mai, as is instanced by the fact that there are no farmers who hold their farms through a long chain of ascendants. Neither the principle of inheritance nor “ lease ” in perpetuity is recognised. The tributary village headmen still bring their annual present to the Mai. 38. (4) The Arabs of Bann and Balge. — When the British took over, the principle of absolute purchase was recognised by the Arabs, but it should be noticed that this had introduced a distinctly foreign element into the Kanuri system of land tenure. As has been mentioned before, it was entirely through the influence of powerful Arab families at the Bornu Sheikh’s court of hardly more than a century ago that this claim was put forward and carried through by sheer force of circumstances and in face of considerable local opposition. 39. Although the purchase may be said to have been absolute, yet the Arab owners paid their Sadaka to the Sheikh, and acknowledged his right to exercise full control in all matters affecting the land. All disputes, as in the case of the Kanuris, were referred to him and his decisions were accepted. 40. Unfortunately, in the process of time abuses appear to have crept in. Men were not content with owning farms which they could work themselves, but bought large estates and charged excessive rents to their tenants, for whom there was no fixity of tenure. Great dissatis­ faction prevailed, especially during a five years’ lacuna in administration from 1916-1921, and in 1921 and 1922 the District Officer reported that on all occasions of visits to these Arab Districts by either himself or the Sheikh an extremely large number of land complaints were heard. — 51 —

41. It was thus the task of the present administration to reconcile the conflicting interests involved and how this has been accomplished through the influence of the Sheikh has been described above. For the last two years scarcely a single land complaint has been heard either from the land-owning or from the tenant class. That this improvement should have been effected in so short a space of time is yet another proof that the Sheikh’s sovereignty is universally recognised. 42. There is no danger of land-hunger in the Emirate and no man need, except of his own free will, farm on the lands of another. It is always open to him to ask to be given a piece of bush which he can clear. But he generally wishes to find his land ready for farming, i.e., walled and ditched in the case of “ firki ” soil and cleared of bush in lighter soil, and is quite prepared to pay a “ rent ” or “ custom ” to find it so. 43. In conclusion, it will be seen, that, even in the case of the Arab claims, the rights are not so wide as the rights which Moslems admit are vested in the ruler, and it is provided in Section 5 of the Land and Native Rights Ordinance that the Governor shall have regard to native laws and customs in exercise of the powers conferred on him under the Ordinance. The Ordinance therefore would not seem to be inconsistent with the preservation of the present system of Land Tenure in the Emirate.