§ 60. Mr. HUTCHISONasked the Financial Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any steps are being taken and, if so, of what nature to try to cultivate in our Colonies products in respect of which we are compelled solely to rely upon cultivation by other nations?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister)The possibility of producing within the Empire articles for the supply of which we are largely dependent on foreign sources is the subject of a great deal of research and experiment which has already produced substantial results, for example in the case of cotton. Moreover, the policy of preference is a direct encouragement to Colonies to develop production of commodities where climatic and economic conditions are favourable. Coffee, tobacco and various kinds of fruit afford examples of this.