EMPIRE PROBLEMS.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18625, 25 February 1926, Page 7

EMPIRE PROBLEMS.

A NOTABLE SURVEY. (from otjb OWN COBBEBPONDENT.) SYDNEY, February 5. A notable survey of the British Empire's present-day problems lias been made by Sir John Higgins, chairman of Bawra, who has just returned after a visit to Britain, where he enjoyed a busman's holiday, as the cables have from time to time intimated. That Sir John Higgins has made a thoughtful study of the Empire's problems is shown in the survey, which was printed in the Melbourne "Argus," together with a foreword by Lord Inverforth, who says that the article "portrays a most searching effort towards a feasible basis to solve our industrial and economic problems, and thereby rehabilitate our financial status, and assert our supremacy in the world." It might be unjust to Sir John Higgins to attempt to paraphrase hi 3 survey, but at least its salient features can be here given. He holds the opinion that the Empire's problems are, individually, serious and difficult of solution; collectively they are a grave menace to the safety and welfare of the British nation. He asks the following questions: (1) Is the basis of approaching and the mode of dealing with these individual troubles sound? , (2) Is the solution to be found within the British Isles? (3) Is the problem .one which Great Britain alone can solve? Answering these, Sir John Higgins says: "These important and far-reach-ing questions are matters for the consideration of the British Empiro as a whole, and, the solution will be found only by and through the co-operation and co-ordination of all parts of the Empire. Having arrived at such conclusions, the question then resolves itself into:—(1) An intimate study and close analysis of Empire matters; (2) A stocktaking and valuation of the assets and potentialities of the Enipire from various viewpoints; (a) primary products or raw material; (b) manufactured goods or fabricated materials; (c) the ways and means of developing (a) and (b); (3) the organisation necessary Tor the administration of Empire policy. "0 To Gain Benefits. Sir John Higgins criticises the methods of Imperial Conferences in the past, maintaining that the various delegates were present to gain benefits or advantages for their particular Dominion or colony. The primary duty of an ItnperiJ Conference, he holds, is to deal with the British Empire as a. whole and to make a complete analysis of the area, population, location, climates, primary' products, and secondare products, manufactures, land and water transport, markets, and finance.

Having analysed the whole and become acquainted with its composition, he urges, there should then be allocated to each of the Dominions those constituents or primary products, the present production and future development of which the individual Dominion is specially and naturally adapted for geographically, climatically, and ethnoiogically. . Sir John Higgins makes an intensive analysis of the area, location, and population of the Empire from various points of view. He estimates the present yearly value of exports from the Dominions of the Empire at £547,876,000, of which about 50 per cent, are foodstuffs. He concludes that "from whatever standpoint the present condition of the British Empire is viewed, it cannot he questioned that the outstanding necessity is the development of the oversea Dominions. The progress in this direction, he believes, is so :'ow that it will not euro the ills from which the Empire is suffering. It is vital that oversea development~should he greats accelerated immediately. The course for Britain to follow is, firstly, to encourage increased production of raw materials in overseas Dominions; and, secondly, to ensure their utilisation and manufacture M industrial Britain. The one should he complementary to the other. Oversea Empire de olopment, says. Sir John, is the practical method of consolidating all parts of the Empire: as a means of advancing civilisation throughout the world. To secure this development he urges permanent settlement of the land with organisations for the principal primary industries controlled hy the producers or their appointees directly .interested in the particular industry. These organisations would »<e co-operative in character, to yield a fair return to the producer, eliminating as far as practical the speculative element. Increased production would lower the cost of living and ensure regular supplies,, resulting in full-time empky-' nient and higher efficiency in tho secondary industries. He belirres, in short,' that rapid oversea derelonm?nt will "efface materially industr.'al and commercial troubles and depressions, by carrying out the administration of 'The British Empire Trust' in a proper and faithful manner."