War Damage In The

Solomons

Planters Get Nothing From Jap Reparations

FROM the Japanese War Repara tions Fund (formed from the sale of Japanese property seized in the war) the British Govern ment has allotted £600,000 to the Western Pacific High Commission £500,000 to the British Solomons and £lOO,OOO to the Gilbert and Ellice Islands.

The BSI Government broadcast this fact, and invited suggestions as to how the money should be spent. Most of the planters argued strongly in favour of the payment to them of some compensation for war damage. Among other thmgs, they pointed out that, although planters in New Guinea were most

generously compensated, and paid

no income tax, planters next door, in the Solomons, had had to bear all the costs of their own rehabilta tion, and were taxed on income, and in other ways.

The request was refused. The following is a copy of a letter writ ten by the BSI Government Secre tary to one of the applicants; “The High Commissioner is not prepared to recommend to the Secretary of State for the Colonies that the question ©f compensation for war damage, which has been riven very full consideration in the past, should be reopened.

“Other considerations apart, it vill be appreciated that the funds available from the disposal of Jap anese assets are not derived from any interest held by the Western Pacific High Commission Territories themselves. They are funds due to ather Territories, which those terri tories have foregone in favour of the Protectorate and of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony; and the conditions governing the use to which the funds should be put are that they shall be so employed as X) secure the widest possible dis tribution of benefit to the inhabit ants.

“These conditions have been based an recognition of the fact that the iamage done to the Territory by the war cannot be assessed in re ation solely to the value of material .osses, but must take account both pf moral and social, as well as economic factors.

“It would not be in accordance with these conditiohs to use the :unds available to the Protectorate :or the partial satisfaction of war iamage claims which amount in ;otal to a sum greatly in excess of ;he funds available. The payment pf war damage claims to certain ndividuals would not promote the naximum benefit to the greatest lumber since the benefit would be confined to a comparatively narrow lection of the community and would lot be related to the moral and

social aspects of rehabilitation or to the general economic advancement of the Territory.

“Plans for the utilisation of these funds are now being considered and it is hoped that they will prove of benefit to all, including those who suffered damage during the war, and who continue to take an economic interest in the Protector ate.

“While, as stated, it is not possible to reopen the question of war damage compensation, I am to say that His Excellency is nevertheless prepared to examine the circumstances of any individuals who are now in severely straitened circumstances, amounting to real hard-

ship, from losses suffered as a re suit of the war in the Protectorate, with a view to affording them some measure of relief. Consideration is being given to the establishment of suitable machinery for the investi gation of any such cases, and a statement on this subject will shortly be issued.”

EDITORIAL NOTE: Judging from letters arriving in this office, the High Commissioner’s decision has not been kindly received by the majority of BSI planters. . . Much might be said, pro and con: but the ultimate test will be found in the way in which the £500,000 is spent in the Solomons. If the New Guinea fashion is followed, and

large sums are frittered away oi half-baked impractical schemes fox natives—-who have not a clue as to what it is all about, anyway—it wii be contended, and properly, thai more good would have been achieve® by giving financial help to the onh wealth-producers in the Solomons— namely, the planters. A well-estab-i hshed and active planting industry* even if run by the hated Europeans can do far more ultimate good foi< the Solomons and their natives than any quantity of native welfare machinery set up by the post-wai period’s growing tribe of ideological planners.