GROWN COLONIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18351, 15 September 1921, Page 5

GROWN COLONIES

10 % REORGANISATION SCHEME. SIX GROUPS TO BE CREATED. Press Association —By 'Xol*graph—Copyright LONDON, September 13. (Received Bept. 14, at 8.30 p.m.) Desiring to meet the Crown colonies’ repeated requests to the Colonial Office for a greater share in the control of local affairs, especially financial, Mr Churchill proposes to create six groups of Crown colonies according to their geographical positions, each group to bo administered by a High Commissioner, assisted by a council, partly elected and partly nominated by vested interests. The High Commissioner of tho Pacific group, including the Falkland Islands, will be stationed at Suva. —A. and N.Z. Cable. (Received Sept. 14, at 8 p.m.) The special correspondent of The Times writes; The Colonial Office is considering a scheme for the reorganisation and administration of tho Crown colonies and protectorates, which is designed to give them a greater amount of autonomy. Tho main proposals aro the grouping of the various colonies according to their geographical position under High Commissioners, wno will shoulder some of the duties and responsibilities, especially regarding public appointment and finance, which will now devolve on the Secretary of State. It is anticipated that the change will ensure an important saving of expenditure. The various groupings include the placing of Fiji, the Falklands, and all the other Crown possessions in the Pacific under a High Commissioner, who will be stationed at The High Commissioners will be given complete control of the Imperial military forces, as well as of the local volunteers within their jurisdiction. They will be assisted ly a council, consisting of members partly elected and partly nominated by representative electors or vested interests, such as commercial, professional, and agricultural classes. The privileges and prerogatives of these have not yet been decided. The native races will find representation on the council. Although the scheme is still in process of evolution, it is believed the main g principles will be along the lines men-, tioned.—Times.