Gentleman see whether it will not allay discontent to publish the evidence in these cases?

Mr. HEWINS No, Sir, we decline to publish these Reports.

Mr. PRINGLE: Why?

Mr. MORRELL: On what grounds?

Mr LEIF JONES: Can the hon. Gentleman tell me on what grounds he cannot publish the evidence given in these cases, seeing that in the cases which were investigated the evidence was very damaging to some of the officials concerned?

Mr. HEWINS: The right hon. Gentleman will see that it is quite clear that it is contrary to the public interest to publish these Reports.

Mr. CHANCELLOR: Is the hon. Gentleman determined to force sedition and discontent by refusing to meet these demands?

EMPIRE RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE,

January 30.

Mr. MOLTENO asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the official Controller of Vegetable Oils is announced to speak in support of the programme of the Empire Resources Development Committee, at Cannon Street Hotel on the 30th instant; and whether, in view of the apprehensions created in Canada, India, and West Africa, he is prepared to take any action which will remove the impression that the policy of this Committee must find favour with the Government, otherwise members of the Government would not be found upon that Committee and advocating in public the aims and objects as set forth in its literature?

Mr. LONG The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards the remainder of the question, I have nothing to add to the previous answers on the subject, except that I understand that my hon. Friend referred to ceased to be Controller of Oils and Fats some months ago.

Mr. MOLTENO: Does the right hon. Gentleman consider it desirable that a member of the Government should be associated with this Committee? In view of the fact that already members of the Government have had to disclaim sympathy with the policy announced on various occasions that large areas should be taken over from Canada and developed by us, is it not desirable that a similar course should be taken as that adopted by the right hon. Gentleman himself in resigning from the Committee?

Mr. LONG I have told my hon. Friend that my hon. Friend in question has ceased to be a representative of the Government, and therefore it does not seem to me that any question arises which I can contemplate at all.

The Cocoa Industry of the Gold Coast.

THE Governor's message to the Legislative Council of the Gold Coast of October last contains some highly interesting information regarding the spread of cocoa cultivation in that Colony, which has extended over a quarter of a century. He dwells in his message upon the "rapid and phenomenal development of that industry and the effect which it has had upon the social advancement of the people," believing that the radical change which the introduction of the growth of this industry wrought in the social scheme of the people is not sufficiently appreciated, as up to 1891 the inter-tribal trade was confined to valuable and easily portable commodities, owing to the difficulties of transport. The adoption of the cultivation of cocoa consequently involved a great revolution in their social culture and brought in an entirely new conception of land values.

In 1891, as has often been stated, a consignment of 80 lbs. of locally grown cocoa, valued at £4 sterling, was exported from the Gold Coast. From that date forward annual shipments of cocoa were made, and in ten years the quantity had increased to 960 tons, valued at £42,827. In 1901 a period of prosperity set in owing to peace conditions, railway construction and road-making, so that in 1911 the quantity of cocoa exported rose to 35,261 tons, valued at £1,613,468 sterling. But the greatest increase took place in the following decade, and in 1915 a culminating point was reached by the export of 77,278 tons, valued at £3,651,341. In the following year the value of the cocoa export was nearly £200,000 more, though a smaller tonnage was exported owing to the war and the restrictions placed upon its import into Great Britain, which have unfortunately resulted in great depression of the local cocoa market; the prices which the cocoa farmers have been able to get have in some cases been insufficient to repay the labour of picking and transporting the crop. The Governor tells us that the local position is one of great disappointment, and there is a serious danger that cocoa farmers may cease to work their farms and so a serious injury may be done to this important industry.

It is striking to read of the transformation in primitive conditions which these changes of the last quarter of a century have brought about. The income of the natives during that time has been approximately multiplied by eight, and the Governor gives it as his opinion that such a sudden accession of riches, accompanied as it has been by the introduction of a less exacting form of labour than that to which they had become accustomed, could not have failed to lead to widespread demoralization if the people had not been possessed of force and robustness of character.

Since the cocoa industry developed, the exports of palm kernels and palm oil, formerly the principal items, have greatly diminished, but this serves to emphasize the energy which they have thrown into cocoa cultivation. Sir Hugh Clifford makes some interesting remarks upon the use to

which the Gold Coast natives have made of the money thus gained. Whilst the consumption of spirits has gone up, he considers that, in view of the opening up of the country to trade and the increase of population, there is a materially decreased consumption to-day, per head, of rum and gin; on the other hand, expenditure upon building material, hardware, wearing apparel, furniture, soap, and imported provisions of all descriptions has increased to an enormous extent, showing how great and material an advance in the general standard of living has been achieved during the last twenty-five years.

'To me, therefore," he writes, "it seems that a people who have so successfully resisted many of the temptations to which sudden wealth is apt to expose a primitive population, and who have made so good a use of the opportunities that have so tardily been afforded to them, must be recognized as possessing very genuine potentialities of social, cultural and political advancement. They should realize, however, that while the labour of a people is the original source of their wealth, the quality and the energy of that labour in the end mainly determine the amount of their wealth and the permanence of their prosperity."

If this prosperity is to be maintained, the habits of patience and regular industry must be developed to maintain the standard of comfort to which they have now become accustomed.

The Governor's message contains other matter of interest relating to the war service rendered in men and money by the Gold Coast, and to the financial prosperity of the Colony in spite of the disturbance and difficulties which the war has caused.

Australian Aboriginals.

THE illustrated annual report of the Chief Protector of Aboriginals in Queensland for 1916 follows the usual lines, and contains some account of the condition of the aboriginals who have been visited by the Protector during the year.

The estimated aboriginal population is 16,700. The demand for their labour has far exceeded the available supply, and higher rates of wages than ever before have been readily paid by employers. The prosecutions for offences against the natives are chiefly for supplying opium and liquor, and these continue to show a fairly satisfactory decrease, especially as regards opium, but evidence is difficult to obtain, and much vigilance is needed on the part of the police. The offences nearly all take place near to centres of civilization. Venereal diseases are still common in most of the camps, but the profitable traffic in drugs, etc., has been checked by the establishment of a Government settlement in a district where conditions were formerly deplorable.

The offences committed by aboriginals are mainly those of drunkenness and desertion, and these, on the whole, are less than last year. Women

and children receive special protection and supervision in institutions, and the system of banking the earnings of the aboriginals in trust accounts shows a gratifying advance. A new feature of the year is the inclusion of the aboriginals under a general scheme of insurance against sickness and accident.

The policy of the Protector in regard to the Missions and Settlements which form Reserves is "to foster such natural industries as will provide congenial occupation for the native inmates and sufficiently profitable to enable them to entirely support themselves in communities, developing the family life in hygienic and civilized conditions." He remarks that in the past more importance has been attached to the value of the race as a source of labour supply, whereby too little is done for the improvement of its social condition. The Reports from these Reserves are brief but satisfactory as to conduct, education, labour, absence of crime and social improvement. Health generally has been good, but, as reported last year, the "dread venereal disease" is rife in several districts, and the proposed Lock Hospital is not yet established. The more primitive races on the Gulf Mission show an increasing desire for education for their children, and "a desire for a better way of living" is "most marked among many of the young people, as distinguished from most of the old." The Protector visits the Settlements and Missions, especially those nearer the Capital, when possible, and discusses the policy of social and industrial development with the superintendents. This is best secured "when he (the aboriginal) can be trained and profitably occupied in pursuits which will not have as their inevitable result the undermining of his moral and physical health, and the disintegration of his family life." For this reason the recruiting of aboriginals for the fishing fleets is undesirable, for such labour unsettles them, and introduces vices and diseases to the labourer and his family.

Papua.

THE annual official report of this territory under the Australian Commonwealth for the year ending June 30, 1916 is: Patrols have been carried out in most districts, and the western division has been well explored, not without difficulties, owing to drought in the west and in the east to the sago swamps, which are of varying depth and trackless, often swarming with alligators. In the east, too, the natives are described as so recalcitrant that their pacification sometimes seems almost hopeless-in other parts the inhabitants are "peaceful and easily controlled." Native labour was plentiful; the Resident Magistrate considers it better for the natives to be employed in agriculture, where they can learn much that is useful to them in their homes, rather than as sailors where there is less work. About 6,000 natives are believed to be employed at any one time under contract; among them the

Medical Officer reports a mortality of 21'1 per 1,000 per annum, which he considers is too high in view of the labourers being healthy adults in the prime of life. Venereal disease is spreading, and in the opinion of the same authority is the trouble which most seriously threatens the native population. High tribute is paid again this year by the Lieutenant-Governor to the efficiency of the native police, who track offenders over unexplored swamps which make their task wellnigh insuperable. This force consists of picked men, who repay their training and show a certain amount of esprit de corps which is of no small value.

Financial conditions are satisfactory, both imports and exports having risen considerably, including an almost tenfold increase in the export of rubber, which has risen from £1,501 to £14,846, while the export of gold has gone down by £13,000. This will, however, be made up by the increase in agricultural exports, hitherto nearly all native, as the copra exports still are. The plantations are now coming into bearing and are expected to be of considerable value when the war ends. Coconut planting by the natives is progressing, over 250,000 nuts having been planted in the last three years.

Some interesting details are given of the measures taken to combat epidemics of German measles and dysentery. Natives get familiar with the idea of isolation of the sick, which becomes "a subject of perpetual conversation among them. them. It is not, however, always precisely understood, as in one case a village constable thought it necessary to take a woman with a burnt arm and isolate her carefully in a hut on the beach!

The maintenance of health among prisoners in the Port Moresby gaol is found to be a difficulty, and the sickness and death rates are high, owing in some degree to the mental depression known to be caused to wild natives when held in unaccustomed durance.

Death of Mr. J. 6. Alexander.

WE deeply regret to record the death on February 26 of Mr. JOSEPH G. ALEXANDER, who has been closely associated with the Anti-Slavery Society for over forty years, having joined its Committee as long ago as 1876. Mr. Alexander, who was then in practice at the Bar, was regular in attendance at Committees and for many years was active in work for the Society, speaking and writing constantly on its behalf. His knowledge of international law was of special value, and his facility in French and other Continental languages fitted him to represent the Committee in Conferences held abroad, a task which he frequently undertook. Mr. Alexander only resigned his place on the Committee last year, for reasons of health, when he was appointed a Vice-President. Mr. J. G. Alexander's uncle, Mr. George William Alexander, was Treasurer of the Anti-Slavery Society at its commencement, and it is a coincidence that the venerable Miss Sarah A. Alexander of Rei