YEAR REVIEWED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 137, 13 June 1938, Page 7

YEAR REVIEWED.

Defence and Economics of Colonial Empire. LABOUR TROUBLES. British Official Wireless. RUGBY, June 12. . A report on Britain's colonial Empire in 1937-3S, containing a review on broad lines —but not intended to be exhaustive —of the more important developments in the colonial dependencies, has been issued in fulfilment of the undertaking given in the course of the debate last year in the House of Commons on the colonial estimates.

The largest part of the report is devoted to matters of general interest, such as dcfence, the Colonial Service, economics and finance, agriculture, forestry, p.iblic health, education and labour questions.

On defence' it is noted that the Governments of Ceylon, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone passed legislation for establishing naval and volunteer defence forces, and the Government of the Gold Coast is making uimilar p-ovision.

The reorganisation of the Itoyal West African Frontier Force is nearing completion, and similar reorganisation has been taken in hand in various other African possessions. Many Gifts to Defence. The Straits Settlements volunteer Air Force is to be expanded. The report mentions with appreciation, the number of colonial gifts toward the cost of Imperial defence. On the economic position ther report says that during the greater part of 1937 prices of the most important exports from colonial territories were i high compared with the level of prices in recent years and, in some cases, compared with the costs of production. The year, therefore, was one of prosperity for the producers and the Governments. Toward the end of the year, however, prices began to decline seriously, and the decline has continued during 1938. It is made clear in the report that the steps being taken in many colonies to set up machinery such as special labour departments, or inspectorates, i are calculated to obviate the possibility j of an outbreak of labour trouble owing j to lack of ventilation of grievances and I proper conciliation machinery.

Considerable progress has been made in many of the colonial dependencies in improving labour conditions. It is still necessary, however, for many colov.ial Legislatures to review their existing enactments to bring their labour codes up to the levels now held to be consonant with modern co l ' ditions and outlook.