COLONIAL POLICY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 94, 19 March 1940, Page 7

COLONIAL POLICY

BRITAIN AND FRANCE. CLOSER RELATIONS. IMPORTANT STEP. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received March 19, 12.23 p.m. RUGBY, March 18. The Colonial Secretary (Mr Malcolm AlacHonald) and his Erench colleague (M. Georges Mandtd) who had already conferred on Saturday and Sunday, met again this morning and agreed upon further measures to be taken to perfect the collaboration between the British and French colonial empires within the framework of the general agreement of November last. In many parts of the world their colonial territories are neighbours, and the Ministers feel that both Governments have much to gain from the experience of the other.

They have, therefore, decided that a Colonial Office and the Ministry of Colonies should be created both in London and Paris to maintain a permanent liaison between the two departments. This collaboration, which must have as its principal object the greater wellbeing of the colonial peoples, will be extended to the colonies themselves. There will he conferences from time to time between the governors of the neighbouring British and French colonial territories. This contact will also he established between the administrative and specialist officers of the territories. 1 Meanwhile, the officers of the Colonial Office who accompanied AT" ATaeDonald have taken, advantage rn their visit to Paris to settle with their French colleagues a number of common problems regarding production, trade, and communications.