WORTH A TRIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 110, 12 May 1939, Page 7

WORTH A TRIAL.

REFUGEE SCHEME.

Possibility Of British Guiana

Settlement.

REPORT TO MR. ROOSEVELT

British Official Wireless,

RUGBY, Mar 11

A report submitted by the British Guiana Refugee Commission to Mr. Roosevelt's Advisory Committee on Political Refugees on the possibilities of a large-scale settlement of refugees from Central Europe has been issued as a White Paper.

The commission is of the opinion that while the territory offered for settlement in British Guiana is not an ideal place for refugees from middle European countries, and while the territory could not be considered suitable for immediate large-scale settlement, it undoubtedly possesses potential possibilities which would fully justify carrying out a trial settlement project.

Further, the commission is of the opinion that in the area available for settlement there are soils suitable for permanent agriculture and natural resources which make possible correlated industrial development, and that the climate and health conditions are of such a nature that settlement by people of middle European origin is feasible. ,

Therefore, the commission recommends that a number of receiving camps and trial settlements be started at the earliest possible date. involving a population of 3000 to r>ooo, comprising carefully selected young- men and women to be placed at properly chosen locations, with a properly equipped technical organisation under competent leadership to supervise and direct theactivities of these trial settlements and! render them all possible technical, financial and other assistance.

The Colonial Secretary, Mr. Malcolm Mac Donald, intimated in the House of Commons yesterday afternoon that Britain is giving the report active consideration, and he expected to be in a position to make a statement at an early date.

"NO SUBSTITUTE."

PALESTINE FOR THE JEWS,

LOXDOX, May 11

Rabbi Perlzweig, chairman of a section of the World Jewish Congress, commenting on the British Guiana report, said that although he was grateful for it, it was not an answer for the hundreds of thousands of Jews who must find new settlements or perish. There was no substitute for Palestine.