COLONIES TO BE AIDED

Southland Times, Issue 24057, 22 February 1940, Page 7

COLONIES TO BE AIDED

Financial Grants By Britain LONG-TERM PLAN FOR EXPANSION (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received February 21, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, February 20. It is officially stated that legislation is to be introduced providing for upwards of £5,000,000 annually for _ a decade for the assistance of the Colonial Governments and also for the establishment of a colonial research advisory committee, with a separate allowance of £500,000 annually. The Colonial Development Fund, a White Paper issued today explains, was instituted in 1929 with a view ‘ to promote commerce with, or industry in, the United Kingdom,” and limited to a maximum of £1,000,000 in each year. The fund involved no departure from the old principle that a colony should have only the services which its own resources could maintain. “This principle now calls for revision, and the Government proposes in appropriate cases that the money from the new sources which it has in mind to provide should be made available for the maintenance of important works or services over a substantial period of years.” Hitherto emphasis in the scope of the fund has been placed on material development, mainly of a capital and non-recurring nature.

The Government now proposes legislation whereby the maximum amount available under the fund will be increased to £5,000,000 yearly for 10 years, and the expenditure therefrom enabled to cover recurring expenditure and such items as agriculture, education, health, and housing. Research calls for special treatment, and additional provision is made for this item to a maximum expenditure of £500,000 yearly. These, the Paper points out, are maximum figures and are not expected to be reached at once. BRITISH ASSISTANCE “It will be noted that these measures of assistance by the tax-payers of the United Kingdom will be extended without distinction, not only to British colonies and protectorates, but also to all territories administered by the Government under the mandatory system.” The White Paper emphasizes that the colonies, by improving their economic position, can supply their - own desirably social services, and assistance from Britain should be related to what the colonies can do for themselves. It is essential, therefore, that there should be close co-operation between the Home and Colonial Governments and with this aim an expansion of the Colonial Office staff has been made, including a separate social services department for dealing with such services as health housing and education, which have been set up. Appreciation is expressed of the variety of problems and needs, and the Government’s policy is not to impose a uniform system throughout the Colonial Empire, although developments must proceed upon a balanced and comprehensive plan. Colonial Governments are invited to prepare development programmes for a period of years ahead and submit them without loss of time, thus affording the Colonial Office and the advisory committees which it is proposed to set up a comprehensive view of the needs and proposals for the Colonial Empire as a whole. “From London there will be assistance and guidance, but no spirit of dictation,” states the paper. TRADITIONAL POLICY Interpreting the White Paper, an authoritative quarter in London pointed out the importance of such farreaching developments of the traditional policy of trusteeship, involving an expenditure of £50,000,000 over the next 10 years. It was emphasized that this decision was not taken because of the war and that the grants are not in the nature of, as it were, a bribe to the colonies. In fact the new policy was outlined before the outbreak of hostilities, and it is noteworthy that its execution was decided upon in spite of the heavy financial commitments of Britain in the present struggle. The policy is also considered here as the best possible visible proof of the falsity of the familiar German argument that Britain exploits her Colonies. The financial assistance to the Colonies in the form of grants, not loans, for which the Government is seeking parliamentary authority, shows that Britain, while far from extracting a native tribute to the European war, in fact makes the British taxpayer an additional burden for the benefit of the social and economic improvement of the welfare of native peoples. Finally, it is considered as significant evidence of Britain’s confidence that victory is assured if the country in the middle of the war is ready to embark upon a costly long-term colonial development scheme.