Class III.—Articles Wholly or Mainly Manufactured.

391. It will be observed that, as compared with the previous year, large increases have taken place in certain imported articles, the explanation for which is to be found in the requirements of the Plantations under German management. So far as the total value of the imports is concerned, the increase is accounted for by the large quantity of machinery, railway and building material and other plant, launches, lighters, etc., imported in connection with the working of those Plantations. The method adopted in paying labour, by which a proportion of the wages is paid in foodstuffs and clothing, accounts for the increases in fish (dried), rice and cotton piece-goods. The increase in beer is no doubt due to the increased European population, while the increases in cigars and cigarettes, salt and tobacco are the result of a return to comparative prosperity. Generally speaking, trade in the southern part of the country has begun to develop rather more rapidly than was anticipated, and this is reflected in the activities of the German shipping companies whose vessels now maintain a regular service.

392. The figures relating to the export trade are:

393. There is little of importance to note in these figures. The decrease in the amount received in respect of Customs duty on produce exported is due to the reduction in the rate on cocoa. The export of this article is, however, steadily increasing, and there is every indication of further successful trading.

PREVENTIVE SERVICE.

394. No new Customs stations were opened up during 1925, and the Preventive Service barrier does not yet extend beyond Latitude 4° 50' N., but it is intended shortly to reorganise the

Preventive Service and extend its effective operation as far as the Bamenda Division. As a preliminary, a Customs Officer has been posted for whole-time service on the boundary. The question of replacing the Preventive men by trained Police under an Assistant Commissioner of Police is also under consideration.

395. The number of persons convicted for smuggling was 79, practically the same number as last year (80), but there are signs indicating that wholesale smuggling has been considerably reduced. Owing to the special activity by the Police and Preventive Service against the smuggling of "Nationale" cigarettes (paragraph 255 of the 1924 Report), there has been a remarkable decrease in the number of those exposed for sale in the local markets and a welcome increase in the imports of cigarettes at Victoria.

396. By a Decree of the 14th September, 1925, the duty on tobacco in the French Cameroons was changed from 120 francs the 100 kilos to 10 per cent. ad valorem. It is, therefore, not possible to make an exact comparison with the Nigerian duty of 1s. 6d. a lb. Previous to the Decree there was a difference in favour of the French duty of more than £15 for 100 kilos of tobacco, which was a strong incentive to smuggling. The very large increase, however, in the imports of manufactured tobacco at Victoria may perhaps be attributed rather to the new practice of the Plantation owners of rewarding their labourers for good work with presents of tobacco rather than to a decrease in smuggling by the natives.

397. The revenue collected at the four stations of Tiko, Mpundu, Mundame and Mgab (now Mbonzi) was £1,867, as compared with £2,237 in 1924, but there was still some £500 to be brought to account at the end of the year. The cost of maintaining the Preventive Service, exclusive of overhead charges, was £935, as against £949 in 1924.

398. The quantities (in tons) of produce exported through these stations were :

XIX. AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY.

399. The Permanent Mandates Commission has asked for an explanation of any definite plan which the Mandatory Power may have for improving native agricultural methods. In reply to this demand it must be pointed out that the evolution of such a plan necessitates a prolonged and detailed enquiry into the conditions under which agriculture is now carried on and the possibilities of development. Moreover, the need for such a plan is not equally pressing in all parts of the country. For example, in the Northern Cameroons the natives grow crops of good nutritive value for their own consumption. Moreover, owing to the great distances which separate the northern areas from the sea and the railway, it would be premature to encourage the growing of crops for export.

400. In the Cameroons Province it is agreed that the administrative foundations of government are now sufficiently organised to justify further advances in material and scientific development. It has, therefore, been arranged that an officer of the Nigerian Agricultural Department shall visit the Province during 1926 in order to make preliminary investigations. The conclusions at which he arrives and the proposals based thereon will form part of the next report.

401. It has also been decided that the Botanic Gardens at Victoria shall be placed in charge of the Forestry Department with a view to prosecuting the systematic study of the Flora of the rain forest region. Provision has been made in the 1926-27 Estimates for a Curator and an Assistant Curator.

402. It has also been decided to create a Circle" of the Forestry Department in the Cameroons Province and to devote special attention to the cultivation of cinchona. The necessary provision, involving an expenditure of some £2,800, has been made in the Estimates for 1926-27.

403. Although it may be some time before the benefits of the scientific developments now in contemplation can be fully reaped, there are already definite signs of progress in native agricultural enterprise. The Plantations have manifestly had great educative effect on thousands of labourers who in the past ten years and before the war have spent periods of weeks or months in practical application of scientific methods of cultivation, particularly in the production of cocoa. One of the most satisfactory and gratifying results has been the large increase in the number of small peasant cultivators of cocoa in the Victoria and Kumba Divisions in the past few years. There are, for example,

estimated to be some 500 native cocoa farms in the Native Court area of Victoria, and the number is still increasing. Again, the

cultivation of improved varieties of tobacco has taken root among the Bakossis, and the chief there manufactures cigars of good quality and flavour from his home-grown leaf. The Bakossis have fully benefited by their enterprise in constructing a motor road from Nyasosso to Lum on the French railway, and are now becoming prosperous by cultivating and sending foodstuffs down to Duala for sale. On the other hand, the native has made little attempt to cultivate the oil palm. In areas where the palm exists it grows and propagates itself freely, and forms the most stable form of native wealth. The possibility of introducing and cultivating the oil palm in areas in which at present there are none is one of the questions which invites attention in the future.

404. The Public Works Staff of the Dikwa Native Administration consists of one Superintendent of Works, three motor drivers, one mechanic, two carpenters, two blacksmiths, four sawyers, builders and supervisors of road work.

405. The work of the carpenters and blacksmiths has been useful in maintaining a supply of desks (for the school), window frames, doors, shutters and furniture for public buildings. They are also able to give assistance in repairs to the bodies of cars, lorries and ox-carts.

406. The Native Administration owns a car and a lorry. Similar vehicles are owned privately by the Sheikh. All have done excellent service throughout the eight or nine months of the year, when motoring in the Emirate is possible.

407. The following are the dry season motor roads between the Northern Cameroons and Nigeria as well as within the mandated territory.

408. All the Government buildings have been maintained in a good state of repair.

409. The Capital works programme of the Public Works Department for the year was the completion of the blocks of

quarters at Victoria for 24 clerks, the building of Police barracks, an Infant school, Marine Artisans' quarters, coal and boat sheds, latrines and a slaughter house, all at Victoria. Other works included improvements to the Native hospital, restoration of the pier and of the Customs, Posts and Telegraphs and District Offices. Three bungalows at Buea, one at Kumba and two at Bamenda were renovated, as was also the native hospital at Mamfe.

410. The 27 miles of metalled motor road between Victoria, Buea and Tiko was kept in repair by the Public Works Department. This road, opened at the end of 1924, is proving of the greatest commercial value, and is especially appreciated by the German plantation owners, who had no motor roads in 1924. The Njoke bridge on the main Kumba road, which was washed away, was raised and re-decked.

411. The Mandatory Power, recognising the importance of linking up the basin of the Cross River and the rich oil belt lying along the eastern boundary of the Mamfe Division with the Nigerian trunk road system, proposes to construct a lateral motor road from Abakaliki (which place is already connected by a motor road with the Nigerian Railway at Enugu) to Ikom on the Cross River, and then, entering the Cameroons, through Mamfe and Widekum to Bamenda. The total length will be more than 200 miles and the ultimate cost will be very heavy owing to the difficult nature of the country and the number of large rivers to be crossed. Provision has been made in the estimates for 1926-27 for a section of the road between Abakaliki and Ikom and it is hoped within the next year or two to carry on construction work in the Cameroons simultaneously with the work on the Nigerian sections.

412. The Victoria Native Administration started on a road towards Kumba to link up with Government system and, by the end of the year, eight miles partly metalled were motorable. The opening of this road has already given a fillip to trade and will eventually solve the head-transport problem.

413. In the Kumba Division the four main trade routes to Victoria, Mundame and Mbonge and Mamfe have been kept open and 16 new timber bridges have been constructed. The scheme of the Native Administrations is to construct roads fit for light lorries from Victoria to Kumba and from Kumba eastwards to Mundame on the Mungo River and from Kumba westwards to Mbonge on the Meme River...

A good concrete and iron Native Court House also has been built by local talent in Kumba.