Advance in the Colonies
There is always a danger that in the colonies political development may outstrip economic and social progress. The Secretary of State's annual report on the colonies quotes with approval the warning given by one of the British delegates to the General Assembly of the United Nations that, " It would be no act of generosity to cast these territories on the world with inadequate economic and financial resources and expect them to struggle along by themselves." This warning is perfectly justified, and there is much in the report to show how the necessary economic development is proceeding. By now most colonial territories have comprehensive ten-year develop- ment plans, involving the total expenditure of as much as £200,000,000, of which almost half has been earmarked for social needs such as education, health and housing. These are undoubtedly ambitious, but the Government is aware of the danger of allowing the colonies to outgrow their financial strength: " It would be most unfortunate if programmes of social improvement have to be abandoned later because of lack of means to maintain them ; to saddle the colonial territories with a string of schools without teachers, hospitals without doctors, and housing estates without roofs." Some indication of the economic foundations which axe being laid to carry this superstructure of progress arc to be found in the figures for capital investment. The amount projected for 1948 in all colonies was about £188,000,000, of which between a third and a half was for maintenance and the balance for new work. This is a fairly considerable achievement, though presumably the pace may become even faster if American participation in large-scale
capital development becomes a reality. In the long run Europe stands to benefit by this development as much as the colonial terri- tories themselves. As the report points out : " What has become increasingly clear throughout the year under review is the mutual interest which the Colonial Empire and Great Britain have in one another's prosperity."
Previous page
