THE COLONIAL QUESTION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 29 April 1937, Page 9

THE COLONIAL QUESTION

RAW MATERIALS OR WAR MATERIALS? A warning of the consequences which would attend the redistribution of Colonies is given by Dr Alfred Plummer, Vice-Principal of Ruskin College, Oxford, in his book, “Raw Materials, or War Materials?” There is not the slightest doubt, he writes, that the redistribution of colonial territories while the dictators are in their present mood and proceeding with their present programmes, would be the worst possible policy, and*certainly quite fatal to world peace for years to come. They would inevitably look round for new worlds to conquer, ruthlessly reasoning that if by mere threats of war so much can be gained, still more profit might be snatched from the war itself. It is clear that if the dictators refuse to abandon their present roles as Principal Enemies of the Peace of Europe, there is nothing to be said in favour of sharing out colonial territories and a great deal to be said against it. Native races should not be handed over to the tender mercies of Fascist and Nazi governors who have treated their own countrymen with a cunning and brutal barbarity unparallel in modern history. recently, and returned to live in his humpy. His position became known to the Belmore sub-branch of the Returned Soldiers’ League, and through that organisation Mr Belford secured a grant under the Government’s unemployed housing fund. This was augmented from the sub-branch fun'ds, and Mr G. D. Eldridge < vice-president and employment officer) set about organising a working bee to erect the cottage. He gathered about a dozen members of the sub-branch, including several skilled tradesmen, and they arrived on the scene at 8.20 a.m. yesterday. They were transported in a lorry belonging to another member and brought their lunch.

One man, a builder supervised the erection of the cottage, while an engine- ’ 1 ' superintended the fittings. An electrician attended to the light installation. Another member, who conducts an electrician’s business, supplied the power fittings. The party worked with such a will and so expertly that, by nightfall, the cottage, consisting of three rooms and a verandah, • s ready for the family to occuyy.

The problem that besets Mr Bedford now is to furnish his new home, as what little furniture he possessed was smashed in the storm One "Digger” who was working on the building yesterday gave him a bedstead, although he himself is in poor circumstances.