PLAN FOR SETTLEMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 12 May 1939, Page 6

PLAN FOR SETTLEMENT

TERRITORY IX BRITISH GUIANA TRIAL RECOMMENDED BY COMMITTEE I British Official Wireleml RUGBY. 10th May. The report submitted by the British Guiana Refugee Commission to President Roosevelt’s advisory committee on political refugees concerning the possibilities of a large-cale settlement of refugees from Central Europe is issued as a White Paper to-day.

The commission is of opinion that, though the territory offered for settlement in British Guiana is not an ideal place for the refugees from middle European countries and though the territory could not be considered suitable for immediate large-scale settlement, it undoubtedly possesses potential possibilities that would fully justify the carrying out of a trial settlement project. The commission is further of the opinion that in the area available for settlement there are soils suitable for permanent agriculture, that its natural resources would make possible corelated industrial development and that climate and health conditions are such that settlement by people of middle European origin is feasible.

“The commission therefore recommends that a number of receiving camps and trial settlements be started as soon as possible, involving a population of 3000 to 5000 carefully-selected young men and women placed at pro-perly-chosen locations with a properlyequipped technical organisation and under competent leadership to supervise and direct their activities and to render them all possible technical, financial and other assistance.

The Colonial Secretary. Mr Malcolm MacDonald, intimated in the House of Commons this afternoon that the British Government was giving the report active consideration and that he expected to be able to make a .statement