§ 27 and 29. Mr. Dodds-Parkerasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) when he expects that the recommendations of the Pearson-Mitchell Report on Nyasaland will be implemented;
(2) when he expects to publish the Debenham-Griffin Report on flood control and the possibilities of irrigation and hydro-electric development on the Shire River and Lake Nyasa.
§ Mr. Rees-WilliamsThe Pearson-Mitchell Report showed that the most satisfactory method of controlling insect pests of cotton in the Lower River districts of Nyasaland would be to delay the planting of the crop, but that this could be done only if some system of river control could be adopted and seasonal floodland and irrigation made available. It was decided that a survey should be carried out by an expert to determine the possibilities of such control.
In 1946 surveys were made by Mr. A. E. Griffin, M.C., M.I.C.E. and Professor Debenham who reported that between 130,000 and 150,000 acres of potentially 335W productive land were flooded and recommended that investigations be made by a hydrological survey unit over three years to obtain data essential to the planning of measures for stabilising the level of Lake Nyassa and controlling floods in the Shire River. This proposal has been incorporated as an integral part of the Nyasaland Ten Year Development Programme and a grant of £15,400 has been made under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, 1945, to cover the whole cost of the survey. The irrigation engineer in charge of the survey is now on his way to Nyasaland and work will start immediately he arrives. Owing to pressure of work in the Printing Department in Nyasaland it is not possible to publish the reports by Mr. Griffin and Professor Debenham locally. Consideration is being given to publishing these reports in the United Kingdom.