Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/258

 206 THE BRITISH EMPIRE : — RHODESIA

The total of newspapers, books, and parcels despatched was 1,964,410, and registered articles 91,032. The postal revenue for the year was 56,9102., and the expenditure, 43,7052. Telegraphic revenue, 57,1912., expenditure, 56,3212.

On January 1, 1905, a Post Office Savings Bank was established, and on December 31, 1919, the deposits amounted to 108,1692.

On December 31, 1919, the mileage of the Rhodesia telegraph system was 8,093. There were 116 telegraph offices open. In Southern Rhodesia during the year 1919, 348,019 telegrams were received and despatched. There is an extensive telephone system in operation.

Administrative revenue of Southern Rhodesia, 1918-19, 961,6712. (mainly from customs and excise, 298,0922.; native tax, 238,3672.; posts and telegraphs, 100,5052.; stamps and licences, 69,5272.; income tax and excess profits duty, 60,2782.); administrative expenditure, 858,0632.; (mainly administration, 224,9542.; defence, 196,0822.; posts and telegraphs, 77,8012.; education, 110,8922.; hospitals, 77,5952.; agriculture and veterinary, 58,6432.). Administrative revenue, 1919-20, 1,050,3792. ; expenditure, , 1,309,8.072.

Northern Rhodesia.— By an Order in Council, dated May 4, 1911, the two provinces of North-Eastern and North-Western Rhodesia were amal- gamated under the title of Northern Rhodesia, the amalgamation taking effect as from August 17, 1911. The limits of the territory, as defined by the Order in Council, are ' the parts of Africa bounded by Southern Rhodesia, German South-west Africa (now South-west Africa), Portuguese West Africa, the Congo Free State, German East Africa (now Tanganyika Territory), Nyasaland, and Portuguese East Africa.'

Northern Rhodesia has an area of about 291,000 square miles, and consists for the most part of high plateau country, covered with thin forest. Much of the country is suitable for farming and contains large areas carrying good arable and grazing land. The permanent European population was estimated at 2,945 in 1919. The native population is estimated at about 928,000. The territory is divided into ten magisterial districts. The administrative headquarters are at Livingstone, on the Zambezi. The most important centres are Fort Jameson, Fife, Abercom, Fort Rosebery, Broken Hill, Ndola, and Lealui. The police force, called the Northern Rhodesia Police, is composed of natives, with European officers and non-commissioned officers.

Agricultural products are maize, cotton, tobacco, wheat, and European fruits. Rubber is also produced. There is plenty of timber of various kinds. There are gold, copper, zinc, and lead mines in the territory ; and coal has been discovered. (Lead mined in 1919, 14,174 tons, 226,7772.).

The trunk line of the Rhodesian railway system traverses Northern Rhodesia from Livingstone to the Congo border. The Zambezi, Kafue, Chambcsi, and other rivers of Northern Rhodesia are navigable for a con- siderable portion of their extent.

In Northern Rhodesia there are 39 post offices, 12 being money order offices. There is a telegraph line alongside the railway from Livingstone to the Congo border. The African Transcontinental telegraph system ex- tends to Abercorn, Fife, and Fort Jameson.

The Northern Rhodesia Order in Council (May 4, 1911), provides for the appointment of an Imperial officer, styled the Resident Commissioner, who may be the officer holding the same position in Southern Rhodesia, and of an Administrator appointed by the British South Africa Company with the approval of the Secretary of State. The Administrator has an Advisory