POTENTIALITIES OF THE COLONIES

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 44, 14 May 1927, Page 11

POTENTIALITIES OF THE COLONIES

CONFERENCE SEEKS IMPROVEMENT IN TRADE MACHINERY

(British Official TFireLess.) ( Copyright.) RUGBY, Friday

The question of improving the machinery for making trade conditions in the various colonies better known to the people of Great Britain and of extending information on the raw productions of the colonies, their commercial value and the requirements of the colonies, was discussed at the Colonial Conference to-day. In this connection a resume was given of the work of the Imperial Institute at South Kensington, in Loudon. There was a general agreement that the work of the institute was of immense value and acted as a clearing house of information, though it was felt that if the institute were more centrally situated in London it would be visited by larger numbers of people.

It was also shown that firms who desired to exploit a raw material found that the institute provided useful information as to its commercial potentialities. Discussion took place on the existing and future of trade agencies in London. The question was debated as to how far it would be desirable to concentrate and centralise various trade agencies where they represented colonies in one part of the world, like West and East Africa, and where they might lend themselves to grouping.

The conference discussed the proposals for creating a corps of research workers and experts. After a discussion two alternative schemes were considered. One was the creation of a pool which would be common to the whole Colonial Empire. The other and the less ambitious scheme was the grouping of various colonies, which, in view of their local conditions, might lend themselves to such grouping. The whole subject will be considered later by a committee which has been set up, with very wide terms of reference.

The conference also discussed the question of pensions, with particular reference to legislation concerning colonial pensions.—A. and N.Z.