[?] Support Of

Letter to the Editor

[?]Colonialism

—So much has been written the advantages of indepen and self-determination, that I like to point out some of the rvailing advantages of ilism. )NIAL administrations gener ly provide comprehensive ional, agricultural and health s. Those furnished by Trustee- Iministrations are usually much )mprehensive, and those given h technical assistance missions ependent countries are often might say that the extent of :al services is directly related degree of political affiliation, a territory obtains indepen subsidies and personnel from rent government fade away and :al services dwindle. Many of laller territories simply cannot in the quality and quantity of s, although they may try to do hiring local talent and in ig taxation.

Stability

ther advantage of colonial istration is the stability con by continuity of government, sure, this stability sometimes iches stagnation, but generally is perceptible movement on and upwards. An independent y, however, is subject to sudden al changes, brought about by allot box or other means, igh these changes are not arily retrograde, drastic shifts icy may waste limited govern resources. deleterious effect of political lity on private resources is even marked. Capital is becoming cowardly every year, le are the days of the reneur, willing to lose his shirt long shot. In this age of •ations, investments are made he hope of returns for decades me. Such conservative capital remely unwilling to finance ex alts in self-determination, s leads to one more advan is aspect of colonial status. The icts of development are much when there is a happy com on of subsidised technical es and secure capital invest-

When colonial people yearn for freedom, they hope it will bring them greater prosperity. This leads to sad disappointment, a heavy price being paid for premature independence.

Boot-strap operations relying on local cash and know-how have been totally unable to fulfill the rising aspirations of those who live in in dependent and underdeveloped areas.

I ask critics of colonialism in the UN and elsewhere to honestly examine the needs and desires of people living in colonial territories.

I urge both expatriates and indigenes to work patiently for the improvement of each territory within the colonial system until such time

as it is ready to stand and prosper alone.

Yours, etc.,

An Ex-Anticolonial

Koronivia, Fiji.

Production from the Cook Islands’ vital citrus fruit industry has in creased twelve-fold in the last 10 years, according to figures recently released in New Zealand. Approxi mately 15,000 bushels of citrus were produced in 1951 but figures for the year ending September, 1961, show that all citrus produced for sale, whether for export or for the new local processing plant, totalled 100,000 bushels.