Annual report on Sarawak.

Date:
[1951]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on Sarawak. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    10/232 (page 2)
    not extravagant to assume that the sudden changes in economic conditions during 1950-51 have delayed the completion by a full year. The Colony’s development programme was revised during the year to make allowance for increased costs and prices, and for the inclusion of new projects prepared under the Colombo Plan; details of progress during the year and of the revised plan are contained in Chapter IX and Appendix A of the Report. The machinery for controlling development works was strengthened by the constitution during the year of a Development Board representative of the whole territory. The rise in the value of export crops, the increased demands for labour consequent thereon, and the comparative reduction in the economic attractions of food farming, created problems the real impact of which will not be felt until 1952. It was already becoming apparent at the end of 1951 that local food production during 1952 would be lower than in previous years and that, for this reason, there would be a considerable time lag in the effect upon the cost of living of any reduction in the value of the Colony’s primary products. Despite the difficulties referred to above, some progress was made in the development of Sarawak’s public services, which are discussed in greater detail in Chapters VIII and XII of the Report. Particular reference may be made here to the progress in construction of Government house and office accommodation throughout the territory and to preliminary work on the development of waterworks and ports, the effect of which will not be apparent until 1952. Notable progress was also made in the expansion of education and co-operative development, identification of the Colony’s mineral resources, and examination and exploitation of the Colony’s forest assets. There vTas, throughout the year, a great increase in the activities of the Colony’s Information Services and much preliminary work wTas done in planning for the development of a Sarawak Broadcasting Service at a later date. There was progress in the medical building programme; but perhaps no branch of the public service was so severely handicapped in its expansion as was the Medical Department, by difficulty in recruiting staff and retaining existing staff. During the year increased attention was paid to social welfare work, and the machinery for examining welfare projects and assessing the claims for assistance of such projects was strengthened by the constitution of a Social Welfare Council and a Social