Annual report on the social and economic progress of the people of Basutoland.

Date:
[1933]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on the social and economic progress of the people of Basutoland. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    hand over the administration to the Imperial Government. This was effected by Order in Council on 2nd February , 1884, which was proclaimed and brought into force by Proclamation 75A of the 18th March, 1884. IL—GOVERNMENT. The Territory is now governed by a Resident Commissioner under the direction of the High Commissioner for South Africa, the latter possessing the legislative authority, which is exercised by Proclamation promulgated in the Official Gazette. For fiscal and other purposes the country is divided into seven districts, each of which is under an Assistant Commissioner, namely, Maseru, Leribe, Berea (or Teyateyaneng, as it is sometimes called), Mafeteng, Mohales Hoek, Quthing, and Qacha’s Nek. These districts are sub-divided into wards presided over by the hereditary chiefs and those allied to the Moshesh family, who are responsible to the Paramount Chief in all matters relative to native law and custom. III.—POPULATION. No census has been taken since 1921. The following figures indicate the racial distribution census :— District. Europeans. Leribe 260 Berea ... 132 Maseru 612 Mafeteng 262 Mohales Hoek 159 Quthing Qacha’s Nek ... 115 63 Totals ... 1,603 of the population at the last Bantu. Coloured other than Bantu. 107,794 211 56,674 136 99,378 266 67,279 221 60,568 281 38,051 96 66,193 30 495,937 1,241 Besides the population as enumerated above, 47,141 Basuto were stated to be absent at various labour centres outside the Territory when the census was taken. The following is a comparative statement of the density of the population (other than Europeans), at the censuses of 1904, 1911 and 1921 : — No. of persons per square mile No. of acres per head of population ... No. of occupied huts per square mile... No. of persons to each occupied hut... 1904. 1911. 1921. 33-78 38-97 48-30 18-94 16-42 13-25 8-42 10-86 16-99 4-01 3-61 2-84