IMPERIALISM OF BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 25031, 13 November 1946, Page 6

IMPERIALISM OF BRITAIN

SPIRITED DEFENCE BY SIR PATRICK DUFF ' The Press ” Special Service AUCKLAND, November 11. There was no parallel in history of a Power so patiently devising means for countries under its suzerainty to form their own governments or giving them the choice of whether or not they severed their connexions altogether, said Sir Patrick Duff, High Commissioner for the United Kingdom, speaking of Great Britain during an address to members of the Auckland Rotary Club yesterday. “Enemids may snarl at Imperialism, but I will say that large territories of the world are stronger, healthier, and happier for the British pattern of Imperialism: and the more there is of it the better,” he said.

Britain’s colonial empire had a population of 63 millions and was a collection of more than 50 different peoples, he said, and three-quarters of these had come into the Empire within the last 60 years or so. Apart from a few colonies which had fully-elected Parliaments, more than 20 had partlyelected legislatures; 17 had wholly nominated legislatures; and even in the most primitive there was the germ of self-government.

Indicating the help that Britain has given to bring about physical improvement Sir Patrick Duff said that between April. 1944, and last July more than £3 000,000 was spent in the colonies on extending hospitals, training medical staffs investigating diseases, and organising work against disease-bearing insects. Within the last year or so grants had been increased up to about £120,000.000 for an even more ambitious programme during the next 10 years, covering the whole field of education, social services, and technical assistance.

“I do not say that Britain has never made mistakes. I do not say that the British Empire is perfect. I do not say that we have not gone too slowly in some directions or even too fast in others. But I will say that no people ever even attempted to tackle a job so vast, or in so unselfgeeking a spirit,” said Sir Patrick Duff.