§ 35. Colonel Wiggasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the number of senior staff employed in encouraging the growth of co-operative methods in the Colonies; and what steps are taken to train such staff before they take up their duties in this field.
§ Mr. George Hall1 regret that it has not been possible in the time available since this Question was put down to ascertain the figure requested in the first part of the Question, but I will communicate it to my hon. and gallant Friend as soon as possible.
In reply to the second part of the Question, it has not in the past been the invariable practice to give officers selected for co-operative work special training, nor would it have been easy to provide such training during the war years. 1 have given active consideration to the whole question of training and appointment of suitable co-operative officers, and in addition, the local governments concerned are considering further steps for increasing the number of trained co-operative assistants in the departments instructing and guiding cooperative development in the field.