MEN OF THE TREES 



sioner. The close of the South African War brought a 

 large influx of settlers, and in 1903 the Planters' and 

 Farmers' Association was formed. This organization 

 represented all the settlers, who had at that time no 

 voice in the administration. 



On I St April 1905 the administration of the Protec- 

 torate was transferred from the Foreign OflSce to the 

 Colonial Office, and settlement steadily progressed. 



On his death, Sir Donald Stewart was succeeded by 

 Sir J. Hayes Sadler, and two years later a Legislative 

 Council was constituted on which the settlers were rep- 

 resented by nomination, though the Government still 

 retained a permanent working majority of officials, and 

 the Commissioner was henceforth styled Governor. The 

 first to assume this position was Sir Percy Girouard, 

 under whose regime the Protectorate showed decided in- 

 dication of increased prosperity. 



In 19 10 Lord Delamere, a prominent settler, co- 

 ordinated the settlers' interests in the Convention of 

 Associations. This body, to which all local Associations 

 send delegates, meets twice a year. 



To the next Governor, Sir Henry Belfield, fell the 

 difficult period of the War, and during this time there 

 was a general set-back to farming. 



The Armistice was the starting point of a new era of 

 reconstruction, and to Sir Charles Bowering, when Act- 

 ing Governor, fell the task of dealing with the difficulty 

 which had arisen over the currency. It was under the 

 rule of Sir Edward Northey that the Highland area was 



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