Annual Report of the Colonies, Kenya, 1921
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FEB 2 6 1! COLONIAL REPORTS—ANNUAL. No. 1153. OLONY & PROTECTORATE OF KENYA. REPORT FOR 1921 1st APRIL TO 31st DECEMBER. (For Report for 1920-21 see No. 1122.) LONDON: ISTED <fc PUBLISHED BY HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE phased through any Bookseller or directly from H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE 1 the following addresses: Imperial House. KIngsway, London. W.Ca, and 28 Abingdon Street. London. S.W.i; 37 Peter Street. Manchester: s St. Andrew's Crescent. Cardiff; or 23 Forth Street. Edinburgh. 1923 Price 9d. net. 2 COLONIAL HEPOHTS—ANNUAL. INDEX. PREFACE t. -GKNKRAlv OBSERVATIONS A. Legislation ... v v B. Alienated Areas C. Native Areas ... .V. ... ... D. Northern Frontier District E. Population ... v - F. Immigration G. Public Health ',, . - 11.—GOVERNMENT FINANCE III. PROGRESS OF TRADE. AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY A. Trade B. Agriculture and Stock-raising .. C. Mining D. Forests ... E. Banking F Position and Prospects of Commerce ... G. Climate ... ... , IV. COMMUNICATIONS A. Railways B. Roads G. Post and Telegraphs D. Shipping E. Public Works . V.—EDUCATION VI.—GAME KKNYA, 1921. No. 1158. REPORT ON THE COLONY AND PROTECTORATE OF KENYA FOR 1921.* (1st APRIL TO 31st DECEMBER). PREFACE. The territories comprised under the name of " Kenya Colony nd Protectorate," until recently known as the East Africa Pro- wtorate, consist of about 248,800 square miles, the eastern oundary of which was defined along the river Jtiha by an greemeiti with Italy in 1891, and on the north by an agree- lent with Abyssinia in 1908. On the west the Colony adjoins ie Uganda Protectorate, and on the south the mandated 'anganyika Territory. The British East Africa Protectorate was proclaimed on Mli November, 1890. In March, 1891, the Imperial British East frica Company undertook the administration of the country, <>m which they withdrew on 31st July, 1893, in favour of the nperial Government. On 1st April, 1905, the administration of 10 Protectorate was transferred from the Foreign to the Colonial ffice; and on 28t*d July, 1920, under the Kenya (Annexation) rder in Council, 1920, the whole of the territory, excepting that fining the mainland part of the dominions of His Highness the lltan of Zanzibar, became the Colony of Kenya. The mainland miinions of the Sultan consist of a strip extending ten miles inland ong the coast from the Tanganyika Territory frontier to Kipini, <» island of the Lamu Archipelago, and an area of ten miles round v fori of Kismayu, these territories having been leased to Great itain for an annual rent of .£17,000. PER top. The figures given in this Report are in respect of the period, 1 April, 1921, to 31st December, 1921, (nine months), as the uincial year of the Colony has now been changed to correspond th the calendar year. * A sketch map will he found in the Report for 1914-15 4 COLONIAL REPORTS -ANNUAL. 1,—GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. A.—LEGISLATION. The chief constitutional events of the period under review, viz., 1st April, 1921, to the 31st December, 1921, were :— (a) The Orders-in-Council of the 27th of June, vesting in the Governor, in trust of His Majesty the King, all Crown Lands, Native Reserves being specified as Crown Lands, establishing the Supreme Court, and defining the boundaries of the Colony arid Protectorate. (6) The Orders-in-Council of 14th July, reconstituting appeals to the Court of Appeal for Eastern Africa and to the Privy Council. By the Order-in-Council of 10th August the shilling currency was made legal. The legislation during the nine months was very heavy ; the most important measures were :— (a) Taking of powers to revise the Laws of the Colony and Protectorate. <*) The Public Health Ordinance, which has already shown its great value in many ways. (c) The Specific Loan Ordinance, empowering the raising of a loan of £5,000,000. (d) The Agricultural Produce Export Ordinance, enabling grading and inspection of agricultural produce intended for export by sea, and improved regulations for the preparation and manufacture of exported produce. (e) The Natives5 Trust Fund Ordinance, (f) The Territorial Force Ordinance. ig) The Companies' Ordinance. (h) The Native Registration Ordinance, which compiled the Ordinances of 1915 and 1920; and (0 The Game Ordinance. The Native Punishments and Divorce and Bastardy Laws Com missions were appointed during the year, but did not report before its close. B.—ALIBSATED AREAS. / An increase of magisterial work is noticeable. The Native irtratiort Ordinance was brought widely in force. ^ In those parts of the Colony where the division of administra- into settled and native areas has taken place, the scheme is rted to be working successfully. The excellent work of the Nairobi Municipality, particularly in introduction of a rating scheme, is acknowledged. In Mombasa much progress has been effected by the Town nning Authority, the members of which have displayed great rgy and foresight in their labours. It is to be recorded with appreciation that District Committees nughout the alienated areas have continued to give much istance to the Administration. C—NATIVE AREAS. From all sides an increasing interest in political matters on the rt of natives has been observed; in Nairobi there has been started i organization named the East Africa Association, and on the oast several Arabs have formed an Arab Association. These ..lies have not jet declared a definite line of action; in most cases ey undergo frequent changes of policy, and they often disappear together. The study on right lines of the Colony's concerns is a utter for encouragement, and it is hoped that it will be possible ) guide such associations into the path of help, not only to iricans, but also to the Government, the more as an increasing upulse towards education is a strong feature of their demands. M>vernment has sanctioned the institution of Native Advisory ouncils in certain districts* The supply of voluntary labour, augmented by a considerable llux from Tanganyika Territory and Uganda, more than met the emand during the year, notwithstanding the general reduction of gricultural wages. Doubtless the shrinkage of demand due to rade depression contributed to ttje relief of the labour situation. The redemption of silver rupees with florin notes, which was arried out during the year, was unpopular with the natives, to *hom a paper currency is entirely unsuitable. Trade throughout the Reserves was dull, and articles of native produce were practically unsaleable. A raid by a party of Masai on a neighbouring tribe in Tanganyika Territory was the only serious disturbance of the peace. 1 6 V COLONIAL REPORTS—ANNUAL, I D.—NORTHERN FRONTIER DISTRICT. The transfer! from civil to military control of the Northern Frontier District' was effected in October, 1921. * * The general political situation along the Abyssinian frontier; was, on the whole, satisfactory. In May, 1921, Dejazmatch Assafou was despatched by the Abyssinian Government to take charge of the border province. This officer's undertaking to pursue peaceful methods has been well kept, though there was a big raid on the Gurre tribe near Neboi, by the Aulihan people, backed by bandit Abyssinians, in August. The raid was hw trated by the King's African Rifles Mounted Infantry. «*> *> Towards the end of 1921 steps were taken to move the Turkani people, who for some years had encroached on the Samburu area, back to their own country, and to reinstate the latter, who had been driven south into the Mem district. The Mohamed Zubeir cattle-owning people, who had been moved in 1920 from the neigh* bourhood of Wajir to the Deshek Wama in Southern Jubaland, drifted back in 1621 to Wajir. Motor transport in the Northern Frontier District ha* been reduced, but the value of such transport:, especially in cases of emergency, is too great to admit of its abolition. The collection of taxes was delayed owing to the movement of tribes and the change of administration. The health of the Northern Frontier District was, on the whole, fairly satisfactory. E.—POPULATION. European. The estimated European population of the Colony on the 31st1 of December, 1921, was 9,792, which may be classified as under :—; Adult males ... ... 4,801 Adult females ... 2,829 Children .v 2,102 and by professions as under;— Government officials ... ... 880 Planters and farmers ... 2,458 Commercial ... 1,025 Missionaries ... ... ... ... ... 171 Professionals 38 Various ... ... ... «*. ... «». 179 Non-European. The estimated population under this head on 81st December 1921, was 84,888, comprising:— Indians ... 22,504 v Goans ... ... ,.. ... 2,430 ^krabs ... ... ...... ... 9,279 Other races »«* . *»» ••• .... ... .».. 87a* ; f &M work, '192fKl- ..••/'.•'•• / T .~ Active*. The estimated native population on 81st of December, 1921 was 2,848,788. ./- ^ F.—IMMIGRATION* For reasons of comparison the following figures in respect of 1920 and 1921 are for twelve months, viz., 1st of January to 81st of December;— •» Others, viz., Europeans, Seychelloises, Year. Americans and Asiatics and Cingalese, Eurasians. Goans. Natives of Africa, Chinese, etc. Males. Females. Males. Females. Males. Females. • 1920 1,685 8,237 1,698 1,005 234 3,020 1921 1,663 5.275 1,215 1,098 239 2,635 * , c Decreai »e; 407 Decrease: 3,445 Increase: 98 perse>ns , or persons, or persons, or 8-65 percent. 34*67 per cant 9»75 percent. The total net decrease is 3,754 persons Cor the yoar, or 23*54 per cent, left than the ftgures for 1920. ' G.—PUBLIC HEALTH. Thirteen new appointments of medical officers during 1921 com pleted the sanctioned staff, and in consequence medical work in the Native Reserves has been largely increased, and the effect in com bating infectious disease, as it has occurred, has been striking. In 1921 the public health has been satisfactory. The close of the year found the whole Cojpny free from any epidemic disease.