Annual report on the Gold Coast / Colonial Office.

  • Colonial Office
Date:
[1951]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on the Gold Coast / Colonial Office. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    24/130 page 22
    Owing to the absence of local production of coal or oil, firewood and charcoal are the principal sources of heat used both domestically and by the mining companies commercially. It is estimated that more than 140,000,000 cubic feet were consumed in this manner during 1951 in the Colony, Ashanti and the Southern Section of Togoland, to which must be added an unknown quantity for the Northern Territories. There are 25 commercial sawmills in operation in addition to those operated by mining companies, the Government and [the Railway Administration ; and other mills are under construction. The majority of the commercial mills are owned by European and American com¬ panies, though some are owned by Lebanese citizens ; also one African owns three mills and another African owns one mill in partnership with a European. Only one mill is entirely African staffed ; in all the others there is European or Lebanese supervision and one or more European or Lebanese technicians. Log supplies for the mills are obtained from contractors, from the millowner’s own timber con¬ cessions or from both. It is estimated that a little more than 25 per cent of the production of logs and curls for export is organised solely by African firms, but a far higher proportion of the logging business is in African hands, as several of the European export firms buy the greater part of their exports from African loggers. The pitsawing industry is entirely in African hands and is carried on by a number of small independent gangs, many of whom work only part-time in the cocoa off-season. Demand exceeds supply : the price during the year was high but did not increase. A serious shortage of coal for the railway from mid-August till mid- October and very heavy late rains reduced the quantities of timber delivered to Takoradi for export. The exceptional demand for mahogany during the first half of the year kept this species in the leading place with about 50 per cent in quantity of all log exports, and it accounts for some 40 per cent of the log exports for the whole year. In September, however, mahogany exports dropped steeply so that they then represented an average of only a little more than 20 per cent of the total. In October Wawa rose to almost 40 per cent of all species, but its average over the year was in the region of 25 per cent. Sapele remained in steady demand and represents slightly below 15 per cent, while of other species, Kokrodua and Baku came next in order each with 5 per cent. Mahogany prices remained high (up to £36 per ton for sawmill quantity, and £45 per ton for veneer quality logs), so long as demand lasted. Other species approached a price of £20 per ton. But towards the end of the year prices fell sharply, and mahogany fetched £15 to £25 per ton and other species £12 to £15. Shipping rates rose steeply during the year, successive increases totalling little short of 100 per cent of the rate at the end of 1950. ANIMAL PRODUCTS The census of animals initiated in 1949, although held up in parts for various reasons including the periodic need to withdraw staff for other work, was practically completed during the year. The total number
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