BRITAIN'S COLONIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20603, 30 June 1930, Page 9

BRITAIN'S COLONIES.

DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES. HOME GOVERNMENT'S POLICY. (Received June 29, 5.15 p.m.) British Wireless. RUGBY, Juno 28. Tho Secretary of State for the Dominions, Mr. J, If. Thomas, addressed a plenary session of tho Colonial Office Conference. Ho referred to remarks he had made in the House of Commons about the mistaken view that Britain was receiving benefits from the oversea Dominions and Colonies but was conferring nothing in return. Mr. Thomas emphasised tho great contribution which, in very difficult circumstances, Britain was making toward Empiro development., an important instance of which was the colonial development fund. In tho expenditure of that fund the British Government looked to the colonial Governments for advice and tho formulation of proposals, but he urged them to take a long view. As far as the British Government was concerned it intended to put the widest possible interpretation on tho term "colonial development." He felt sure tho colonial development fund would tend to relieve the economic position in Britain and develop the prosperity of tho colonial Empire. Referring to tho Colonial Development Advisory Committee Mr Thomas, on behalf of tho Government, thanked Sir Basil Blackett, chairman of tho committee, for the tremendous amount of work lie bad done and was doing in that connection. Sir Basil, on bphalf of tho committee and himself, expressed gratification at Mr. Thomas' observations and his pleasure at having that opportunity of meeting the representatives of colonial administration at the conference, as the committee wished to loarn therpby tho needs of the colonial Governments, From August, 1929. to Juno 25, 1930, said Sir Basil, tho cost of tho schemes submitted to tho committee by tfie colonial administration was £6,560,000, of which it was expected £2,500,000 A*ould be expended in Britain. Tho assistance recommended by tho committee toward those schemes amounted to £1,774,000, spread over five years. Tlio figures included two veiy important schemes in Africa, namely, tho Zanzibar bridge scheme and one for tho devolop ment of tho Marampa iron oro deposits in Sierra Leone, together with the railway construction and harbour development involved.