Colombo Plan

P-NG “Should Come First”

Colombo Plan Is Under Fii

THE £30,000,000 Australia spending on the Colombo F would be better spent in Papua s New Guinea, said Senator D.

Hannaford (South Australia), lea/ of the visiting Parliamentary pan at Port Moresby on August 2.

“Charity begins at home”, s= Senator Hannaford, referring the “crying need for more mor and more development in Territory.”

He added: “Finance for Colombo Plan could be thrc away overnight if the Asian lead decided against peace.”

At the end of a fortnight’s ti with five other members Parliament, including the Depc Opposition Leader (Mr. A.

Caldwell), Senator Hannaford s that the Australian Governmr should consider financing sir settlers who would grow coffee; cocoa for Australian requiremenr This was necessary becaE apparently the banks were interested in financing farms in Territory which required a cap: outlay of £15,000 and four-year v/ before crops were poduced.

The Senator said that in I the Australian taxpayer contribu about £8,000,000 towards ti £10,500,000 spent on Territ development and administration The balance was earned mai. by exports of copra, rubber, coc and cocoa.

This year the Administratj would ask the Government for m money for development and houjj to meet stepped-up recruitment..

Criticism of Colombo PI expenditure, on lines someiw similar to those of Semi Hannaford’s comment, has tf made at times in New Zeals where it has been argued that people of the Dominion’s troß territories deserve hand-out priox