SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.— E. 375 



Miss D. M. Doveton. — Human geography of Swaziland (11.30). 



Extreme variations in geology, relief, climate and vegetation are charac- 

 teristic of Swaziland. These variations are reflected in the development 

 of the territory. Its possibilities as a ranching country, for both cattle and 

 sheep, and its mineral wealth, influenced European interest in the Pro- 

 tectorate as early as 1875. To-day the agricultural possibilities include the 

 production of maize, cotton, tobacco and citrus fruit. 



The Swazis, who have inhabited the region for about one hundred and 

 fifty years, are mainly herdsmen. To-day, they possess only one-third of 

 their country. The population density of the Swazis is thirty-eight, while 

 that of the Europeans is four persons to the square mile. 



There are no railways in Swaziland, and the difficulties encountered in 

 marketing produce in the Union retard progress. Since the Union is the 

 natural outlet for Swaziland, the embargo on cattle, the main asset of both 

 Swazis and Europeans, is ruining the country. 



So long as Swaziland remains independent of the Union, and the British 

 Government is unable to protect it against embargoes, the future of the 

 Protectorate is desperate. 



Final Report of the Committee on The soils survey of the British Empire 



Afternoon. 



Wednesday, September 16. 



Mr. J. Andrews. — Land utilisation in Australia (9.30). 



The study of land utilisation in Australia might be expected to throw 

 light on theoretical questions of the sequence of land use in a new country. 

 The general theory of such sequence postulates growing intensification 

 from extensive utilisations to intensive and diversified utilisations in response 

 to the stimuli of increasing population and capitalisation. Each successive 

 utilisation is said to establish itself in its optimum areas where returns show 

 the greatest margin over productive cost. 



The theoretical position, however, has been complicated by governmental 

 stimulation of settlement and production, and, while the theory has been 

 the basis of the policy adopted, the sequences have not been worked out 

 in practice along the lines suggested by theoretical considerations. The 

 most important aspect, therefore, is the problem of how intensification may 

 be brought about under a policy of executive control. The growth of the 

 more important rural industries is reviewed in this light, and from the 

 point of view of production for an export market. The situation is now 

 radically different from that in which former expansion took place. 



The possibilities for expansion in primary industries are considerable, but 

 there are clear limits to the markets available. Stimulation of settlement 

 must be carefully regulated to the marketing prospects and a necessary 

 corollary of such stimulation is control of production and disposal. The 

 paper suggests certain changes in administration and policy to meet the 

 new situation. 



Dr. A. Raistrick. — Study of a Pennine Dales parish — Linton-in-Craven 

 (10.15). 



The parish of Linton-in-Craven includes the four ancient townships of 

 Linton, Threshfield, Grassington, and Hebden, in upper Wharfedale, and 



