166 . Timehri. 



Nigeria and that for the last year he has been collecting ostriches for 

 that purpose, and further that the French forbid exports from their West 

 African Colonies. The Dutch also in Curasao have started ostrich farm- 

 ing. I hope that in this matter we shall not be content to look on while 

 others make fortunes, as in the case of Para rubber, which has recently 

 been proved to grow as well here and to produce as bountifully as in the 

 Eastern plantations. Sir Frederick Lugard has promised later to let me 

 have a few ostriches and, if the Combined Court grants the small amount 

 required for their introduction, we shall be able to have a fair stock on 

 the savannahs in a few years and provide the Aboriginal Indian with 

 another congenial occupation. I say another, for he has already proved 

 himself to be an efficient cowherd and an appreciator of beef and milk as 

 articles of diet. The best authorities obtainable consider that our 

 savannahs could support three-quarters of a million cattle — more than is 

 required to provide an export of 100,000 head a year ; sufficient to 

 provide a railway to the savannahs with adequate traffic to more than 

 cover working expenses. 



A Government Railway. 



If we can get capitalists to build the line on reasonable conditions, 

 by all means accept their otter, but I would remind you a hundred years 

 have passed without such an otter being received and money will not be 

 forthcoming without fair certainty of profit. If there is to be profit let 

 it go into the colony's chest. With a Government-built line you have 

 the rates for freight and passengers under control. You ensure that 

 the line is worked for the benefit of the country and not for that of 

 private shareholders. You facilitate the building of branches. I would 

 ask those against a Government line to consider the experience not of 

 our Dominions, with temperate climates and a white population, but that 

 of our tropical colonies. 



Look at the piteous history of the Jamaica railway. Built by a 

 private company, purchased by the colony, sold to a company and ex- 

 tended, the colony then forced to re-purchase as the company failed, and 

 its capital cost is now £14,300 a mile. The railway still fails to pay all 

 interest on capital, though of course the colony could not prosper with- 

 out the line, but if it had been kept as a Colonial line and constructed 

 by Government at a reasonable cost it would be a most proh'table under- 

 taking. Cnder Government management financial equilibrium is being 

 rapidly established, notwithstanding the enormous over-capitalization 

 burden. Take Trinidad — a Government line, paying well ; Ceylon, 

 Federated Malay States, Gold Coast, Sierra Leone, Mauritius, British 

 East Africa, all with Government railway systems and all, even the last, 

 with its much decried Uganda railway, paying well. And these comprise 

 all our tropical Colonies with considerable length of railways. 



His Excellency after delivering his address, proceeded to show 

 magic lantern views taken during his journey in the interior, prefacing 

 these on the screen with two maps : one of South America showing 



