A PROPOSED ADVISORY DEVELOPMENT BOARD

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23946, 13 May 1943, Page 4

A PROPOSED ADVISORY DEVELOPMENT BOARD

THE COLONIES

[By PATRICK DONNER, During the recent Parliamentary debate on the colonies Mr Harold Macmillan, for reasons with which many will not feel disposed to quarrel, rejected with his customary good humour and wit a proposal to set up a Colonial Development Board on an ambitious and grandiose scale.- This should not, however, adversely affect serious "Consideration of the more modest proposal to • establish a Colonial Development Board with advisory functions and status. On the contrary, the rejection of the more ambitious plan (as adumbrated by Captain Peler Mac Donald) throws into relief the urgent need for the alternative one. We are all familiar with the futility of many an advisory committee, but this should not lead us to underrate the suggestion of a Colonial Board composed of men of public responsibility rather than of civil servants, and with, above all,, substantial Dominion representation upon it. The quality of its recommendations would be such that no Secretary of State could lightly disregard them. Thus, too, continuity of policy would be assured. Bonds That Unite Lord Hailey and others have in the past declared that the weakest side of our colonial administration has been that which has had to deal with economics and development. A board such as is now visualised would transform a weakness into strength. Dominion representation on it would have many practical advantages. The proposal is, too, in harmony with the views expressed by Lord Cranborne When, as Colonial Secretary, he spoke of the ‘‘need not only to strengthen, but to multiply the bonds that unite’ the Dominions and ourselves. I “ ave no reason to believe that Mr Oliver Stanley would adopt a contrary view. In a speech last summer, Mr Macmillan described the atmosphere of urgency which the tremendous demands of war created.. "One has only a little bit of one’s mind left," he said, “at the end of long days . . . to think about these bigger problems of postwar organisation and development, That surely underlines the need for such a Colonial Development Board now unless we are to find ourselves, at the conclusion of hostilities, without adequate preparation to meet the vast, urgent, and Intricate problems of peace. Two Problems But it is not only in the field of post-war reconstruction and development that such a board could be of service. Dunng the debate on Colonial Estimates last June I showed that, with Dominion help, it could electrify the whole atmosphere, stimulate the production pf those commpdities most needed in time of war, and foster in Airiqa the production of -a mass of products to replace the lost production in those. territories of the Far East which have been invaded by the Japanese. Such a board could survey the relations between our requirements and our production; it could, by its advice, promote new sources of supply, and further meas. ures for the prevention of waste; could investigate the possibilities of finding substitutes; and foster scientific research. The creation of a Colonial Development Board now would go some way towards helping in the solution of the two separate problems which urgently require to be tackled. These are, the problem of the territories which havfe been invaded and lost, and which must be reconstructed; and the problem of those which, though they have not been devastated, have had the whole of their economy profoundly affected by the stern realities of war.

M.P., in the “Sunday Times."] Once the invader has been evicted from those great colonial territories which have been temporarily lost, we must undertake bold measures of re. construction. Cheeseparing will not do. We owe much to the poor peoples who have suffered because this country indulgcd in daydreams and disarmament A new deal is required for all th| colonies, in which hundreds of mil. lions will have to be spent. Private enterprise alone cannot suffice in a world of vast combines and monopolies and of competitive planning by governments. It will make its contribution, no doubt, but in the Far u V is bound to be cautious,havingnotfgijf T lute certainty that in 25 years tiawt} | will not recuperate in the East ia» Germany did in the West. Dominions' Part Some of us believe that nothing short of a Lend-Lease Act for the Colonial Empire will be adequate. Certainly, th* Government will have to lend huge sums carrying at first no interest, and for many years afterwards a. very l ew rate. Such action, incidentally, would go a long way towards solving the problems of heavy industry at hom» during the difficult transition from w« to peace production. A Colonial Development Board j| essential if these things are to bedons with vision and foresight. Preparation of the necessary plans will take time and it is of the first importance to the colonies and to heavy industry at home that there should be no tim» lag; that measures should be ready for instant use at the conclusion of ho». tilities, and in some cases even before that, None of these things, however, will happen of themselves, and there is very little evidence that detailed schemes on a comprehensive scale-. or, indeed, of any kind—are being undertaken, Unless the Government acts soon we shall be caught unpr». pared. I do not know what the attitude of the Canadian Government would be if an offer of representation on n Colonitl Development Board were made to them. Certainly Canada ha* a eon. siderable interest in West Africa and in the West Indies. My suggestion Jut summer was eagerly welcomed in more than one Canadian newipgpir and this development was referred to as one “long overdue." And when I suggested Canadian participation five years ago in speeches to the Canadian Chambers of Commerce the response was immediate and enthusiastic Moreover, I discovered 10 yean ago that the idea was not a new one in South Africa, and we all know tbit both Australia and New Zealand (which have distinguished records of administration) desire to play a greater part In the Pacific. Now is the Time We welcome the desire of the (Joy. ernment to improve the condition! of the peoples in the colonies who are so wonderfully playing their full part In the war. But conditions and standard! of living depend upon trade andeco* nomics. and unless we recognise flit need for a Colonial Development Board and a Lend-Lease Act, new mlr* kelg will not be opened up and development will be lacking. Now. is the moment to establish the board and invite Dominion representation upon it. . • As long ago as the Imperial Confer, ence of 1921, the present Prime Minis* ter observed that the future of thf colonies “should more ! and more en. gage the sympathies of the self-govern. ing Dominions.” How much more important that is to-day, With the Dominions now equal in status with the United Kingdom, it is, indeed, inevitable that we should invite Dominion participation In the affairs of the • Colonial Empire. Nothing could so foster its cohesion and strength, and, perhaps, its prosperity.