PART V.
CHAPTER VII
TRANSPORT PROBLEM,
Mr. KIRBY said that the problem of the transport of agricultural
produce from local marketing points to the railway or the coast was in
an interesting and difficult stage in many parts of East Africa. So much
reliance had been placed on the time-honoured method of porterage
that the recent rapid diminution in numbers of native porters, owing
to increasing opportunities of a better livelihood in production or in
plantation labour, had left transport in a situation of deficiency which,
in many parts of East Africa was acute and critical. In some parts
it called for swift remedy in which Government must lead. Railway
construction was not enough: its subsidiary transport communications
must be created or repaired to give the remedy full weight.
Governments should, it is felt, go further by indirect assistance of
private enterprise in introducing mechanical transport. The position
was serious enough to call for such aids as exemption from Customs
Duty on motor lorries, and low railway rates on these and on motor
fuel.
Information as to the experience of other countries in the use of
light railways and differing forms of mechanical transport, such as
road-rail, would be welcomed.
(The above was circulated in the form of a Note under T.C.(C)Ag.16).
He thought the matter of the high price of fuel was already under
the attention of the Kenya Government, where it was felt that a
great deal of the high cost was due not so much to the cost of
transport by sea or road as to action among the producers themselves,
which was another matter. But they did feel in Tanganyika that
Government might do something to assist (among others) those who
were putting fleets of motor lorries on the roads.
Mr. WORTLEY said that in Nyasaland an effort had recently
been made to reduce the cost of petrol. Government had taken 6d.
off the duty on a gallon of petrol and the Railway had reduced the
freight rate by the same amount.
Mr. SIMPSON stated that the McIlwaine press for pressing cotton
was being tested by Uganda for the benefit of other East African
territories
Mr. KOCH stated that the motor lorry service in outlying parts
of South Africa was of the greatest benefit to the community and
operated most successfully. In a great many cases the services had
proved profitable and indicated where it was likely that branch lines
would prove successful.
M. VAN DEN ABEELE said that in the Congo a service of
motor lorries running on charcoal as fuel was in operation. This
service had been most successful and had proved to be most
economical
The CHAIRMAN (Mr. Holm) felt sure that they would all agree
that cheap transport was essential for areas not served by railways.
In this connection Kenya was not so badly placed as neighbouring

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