§ 17. Sir P. RICHARDSONasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the cost to Kenya, Uganda, and Tanganyika of the suppression of the recent locust invasion; and what reports he has received as to this pest being endemic or otherwise?
Mr. THOMASAs regards the first part of the question, the Governors of the Dependencies have already been asked to furnish particulars of the cost of measures against the recent locust invasion, and I will communicate this information when received to the hon. Member. As regards the second part, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the statement:
§ The principal species of locusts that have recently invaded Uganda, Kenya and the Tanganyika Territory, namely, the Desert Locust (Schistocerca gregaria, Forsk.) and the Tropical Migratory Locust (Locusta migratoria migrator- 829 ioides, R. and F.), may become temporarily endemic in those countries in the sense that they may find summer or temporary breeding places there. The information at present available regarding the distribution of the winter or permanent breeding places of these species in Tropical Africa is at present very incomplete. There is, however, a certain amount of evidence that there may be some permanent breeding places of the Desert Locust along the northern frontier of Kenya such as the Turkana Desert, East of Lake Rudolf, and such breeding places are known to exist just over the Frontier in Jubaland.
§ As regards the Tropical Migratory Locust, no permanent breeding places are as yet known in Eastern Africa, the regions most under suspicion in this respect being in the Western half of the continent. It should be observed, however, that numerous areas adapted to the temporary breeding of this species exist in Eastern Tropical Africa. It is therefore quite possible for an outbreak of this species to continue to increase in intensity for a number of years and to assume very large dimensions.