Mr. Creech Jonesasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the recent report of the officer in charge of the Soil Conservation Service in Kenya is being studied by his Department with a view to the appointment of a special educational officer and a grant to permit of sufficient effort being devoted to the 2015W development and conservation of the resources of the Colony with particular reference to soil erosion?
§ Mr. George HallThis is unfortunately one of several cases where the war in Africa has created serious difficulties. Mainly as a result of study of the report in question and the recommendations of the Kenya Government thereon a free grant from the Colonial Development Fund was approved in February last, before the war extended to Africa, of £39,454 for carrying out anti-erosion work in European areas of Kenya during the next six years. This scheme was to be part only of a general co-ordinated plan of soil conservation for the whole Colony. Generally speaking it was considered that the most effective progress would be made if the European farms could be made large-scale soil conservations models for Africans to observe. The scheme is, however, unhappily in abeyance owing to the absence on military service of large numbers of European occupiers of farms. In their absence, the services of a special educational officer and the separate teams of workers essential to the scheme could not be used to advantage. In any case with the calling-up of large numbers of persons for military service, it is unlikely that either an education officer or team workers with the requisite qualifications and experience could be found.