G.E.L.C. "Ready For

High Commissioner's View

Constitutional

Step Forwar "

The Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony has reached the stage in its constitutional development when it should take another step forward towards more represen tation and more responsibility, according to the High Commis sioner for the Western Pacific, Sir Robert Foster.

SIR ROBERT said this in a talk over Radio Tarawa at the end of August after making a two-week tour of the Colony, which took in eight islands.

Sir Robert said there were a number of things that could be done, but that any constitutional changes were a matter for discussion between the Resident Commissioner, the people and the Colonial Office.

The first thing to do was to deal with the new development plan for the Colony which would be dis cussed in the Advisory Council at the end of the year, and which would stress the importance of better communications.

“If we are to get on and progress, it is essential that people should be able to travel about much more freely than they can at present,” Sir Robert Foster said.

"Very Generous"

“Good communications not only allow Government officers to get round and do their work, but also the people on the different islands will get to know each other better.”

Sir Robert went on: “When you see the development plan, I think you will agree that the United Kingdom has been very generous over the amount of money which it will give for the plan. It rests with the Government to try to make the money go as far as possible.

Three particular ideas will be stressed. The first is that the money should be used in the main for the benefit of the Colony as a whole and, in particular, for those things which are expensive or which need a lot of skill.

“The second idea is that island local government shall be

strengthened by training for the staff, by defining more clearly what the island responsibilities are, and by providing the means to carry out those responsibilities.

“The third idea is that the central government should first help the islands which are prepared to help themselves.”

Sir Robert Foster said that after the development plan had been dealt with, the constitutional advances could be tackled.

“When we come to that,” he said, “I hope everyone will bear in mind the need to knit together all these islands so that the people on them will feel that they all belong together

to a country rather than to separate islands.

“That may take a little time, but it is essential if progress is to be sound and solidly based.” • An American ethnologist. Dr.

Margaret Mead, will arrive in Papua- New Guinea on October 6 to inspect progress of a five-year anthro pological project she is directing at Manus. The project is being sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History, New York. Dr.

Mead spent two months on Manus Island late last year, and expects to return several times during the next few years.