7

PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONFERENCE.

FIRST DAY.—Monday, 9th April.

AFTERNOON.

His Excellency the Governor-General’s Message. (Read by the Chairman.)

‘Tt is a great pleasure to me to know that such a representative Conference is to meet at Rejaf, and I take this opportunity of extending

a cordial welcome to the representatives of the neighbouring territories of Uganda and the Belgian Congo, and also to Professor Westermann, who has come so far to advise us.

“The problems with which vou will deal are admittedly difficult. The selection of the most suitable languages for educational purposes from the large number of dialects which are now in use in the Southern Sudan is no easy task. As regards Orthography there are, [ know, many and varying opinions, but the adoption of some common system seems essential if there is to be a full measure of co-operation in the production of school literature. I hope, therefore, that the existence of individual divergences of opinion will not stand in the way of an agreement.

“J wish the Rejaf Language Conference success in its endeavours to settle questions which are of such paramount importance to all engaged in administrative and educational work in Tropical Africa, and look forward with great interest to reading the report of its deliberations.” °

CHAIRMAN S OPENING STATEMENT.

We in the Sudan do indeed extend a very hearty welcome to the representatives from other territories. Bishop Kitching, though living in Uganda, is, I-feel, one of us, as so much of lis diocese lies in our country. We are particularly glad to see Mr. Hussey, who has served so many years in the Sudan, and we offer a cordial welcome to Mr. Haddon, Provincial Commissioner of the Northern Province of Uganda, and also to Mr. Roome, the Secretary of the British and Foreign Bible Society in Uganda who played such a prominent part in former Conferences, and Mr. Wright. We welcome Baron van Zuylen van Nyevelt, the Government Representative fromm the Oriental Province of the Belgian Congo, and also members of the Africa Inland Mission and the White Fathers Mission.

As regards the Sudan, it is a matter of great regret that Mr. Willis, the Governor of the Upper Nile Province, was at the last moment prevented from coming. We should have been very glad to see Major Wheatley, the Governor of the Bahr el Ghazal Province, who has done so much during the last seven years for education there, but he has just proceeded on leave prior to retirement. Major Brock, who is to succeed him, is still in Mongalla Province owing to the illness

of Mr Skrine, the Governor, whose absence we also deplore, and it will fall to Major Brock to represent both his old and his new province.