BRITISH COLONIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 March 1943, Page 4

BRITISH COLONIES

STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT POLICY MADE BY MR CHURCHILL. SOLE AND UNDIVIDED RESPONSIBILITY. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) RUGBY, March 17. “Yes sir, the British Government is convinced that the administration of British colonies must continue to be the sole responsibility of Britain.”—This was the reply given by the Prime Minister (Mr Churchill), amid cheers, to a question whether the views on the future development of the British d Colonial Empire expressed by the Secretary for the Colonies (Colonel Stanley), in a recent speech at Oxford, represented the policy of the British Government. Mr Churchill added: “The policy of his Majesty's Government is to plan for the fullest possible political, economic and social development of the colonies within the British Empire, and in close co-operation with neighbouring and friendly nations.” Mr Churchill said we must beware equally of truculence and grovelling, when asked if he were aware that the “somewhat truculent” nature of Colonel Stanley's speech had created misgiving in the United States and the Dominions. A final question was: “Does the Prime Minister’s statement mean that this country does not intend to give up its occupied territories at the end of this war, as well as Germany?” To this, Mr Churchill replied: “I think that would be a very insulting parallel to draw.”