§ 16. Mr. Harold Daviesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if in view of the possible opening up of untapped rubber areas in the Far East it is possible to arrange preliminary discussions with Far Eastern rubber interests to develop resources on an agreed and fair basis.
Mr. Creech JonesThere is a considerable amount of replanting and new planting of rubber in the British territories in the Far East, both by plantation companies and by innumerable individual smallholders. It would not, in my opinion, be advantageous, or indeed even practicable, to accept any obligations which 1788 might have the result of limiting or controlling these activities. The Colonial Development Corporation will be able, of course, to consider proposals of the kind mentioned by my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. DaviesIs my right hon. Friend aware of the complete dissatisfaction in Malaya with the results of the eight-day rubber study group in Paris and that weighty opinion in Malaya agrees that its findings were a farce. Secondly, may I ask my right hon. Friend if he is prepared to encourage the establishment of plant for the production of rubber goods inside Malaya to meet the situation at the present moment?
Mr. Creech JonesMy hon. Friend's second question is quite different from the one on the Order Paper, and I should require notice of it.
§ Mr. W. FletcherWould not the right hon. Gentleman agree that it is much more important to devote attention to using the rubber produced from existing areas to earn dollars for this country instead of dollars for other countries through the black market which is going on with the help of a great many other countries?