THE COLONIAL EMPIRE

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 184, 2 May 1929, Page 11

THE COLONIAL EMPIRE

GREAT GROWTH OF TRADE EFFECT OF REMOVAL OF RUBBER RESTRICTIONS DEVELOPMENT FUND Mr. Amery stated in the House of Commons that the trade of the Colonial Empire had by 1927 come very close to £500,000,000. He added that the creation of the Colonial Development Fund foreshadowed by Mr. Baldwin, would contribute to the welfare of the colonies concerned, to a general expansion of trade, and the creation of much-needed employment in Britain.

(British Official Wireless,) Rugby, April 30. In the House of Commons, the Col- ’ onial Secretary, Mr. Leopold Amery, mentioned that the total trade of the Colonial Empire had by 1927 come very close to £500,000,000, and he had no doubt the figures of the present year would well exceed it Whilst the situation from the viewpoint of rubber growers was still difficult and anxious, the gloomy predictions made when the Government decided to end the scheme of restriction had not been fulfilled. There was no sudden swamping of the market last November with vast stores of rubber held back. On the contrary, the price rose from that date, and, , whilst it was still under a shilling, that : price represented more than the same price would have represented under the restrictions, because it represented rubber produced under more favourable conditions from the viewpoint of overhead charges, and, he believed, produced in almost every case with increasing efficiency all round. Referring to the colonial development fund, the creation of which had been foreshadowed by the Prime Minister, Mr. Amery said that such a fund would contribute not only to the welfare of the inhabitants of the colonies concerned, but directly in orders for equipment of railways and other public works, and indirectly in a general expansion of trade it would contribute to the creation of much-needed employment in this country. .Appointments to Services of Dependencies. Mr. Amery announced that lie had appointed a committee with the following terms of reference: —To consider the existing system of appointments in the Colonial Office to the public services of dependencies not possessing responsible Governments, and to make such recommendations as might be considered desirable. He said that these were wide terms of reference, so as to give the committee a very free hand. Sir Warren Fisher had accepted the duty of presiding, and the other members would include Sir Samuel Wilson. Sir H. Bell, Mr. John Buchan, M.P., Sir W. Riddell, Sir John Palmer. Sir Robert Hamilton, M.P., Mr. Meiklejohu. Dr. Cyril Norwood, headmaster of Harrow, Sir Russell Scott. Dr. Shiels, M.P., and Mr. Tomkinson.

BRITAIN’S TRADE WITH COLONIES (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright,) Australian Press Assn.—United Service. Loudon, April 30. Mr. Amery, in the House of Commons, said that Britain's exports to the colonial dependencies in 1905 were £18,000.000. and in 1927 £55.000,000, while the imports from the colonies for the same years were £19,500,000 and £60,000,000. DEAD SEA SALTS NEGOTIATIONS END SATISFACTORILY (British Official Wireless,) Rugby, April 30. In the course of the debate on the Colonial Office Estimates'in the House of Commons. Mr. Leopold Amery. Colonial Secretary, in an illusion to the Dead Sea salts, said that the region contained vast quantities of minerals. Whether those minerals could be extracted tinder conditions which would yield a commercial profit was uncertain. but he was glad to say that the long negotiations between the Palestinian and Transjordanian Governments and the concessionaires had now practically come to a conclusion satisfactory from the viewpoint of the two Governments.