§ 38. Mr. T. Reidasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has considered the deliberations of the recent South Pacific Conference at Noumea about the problem of over-population and the suggestion from the Gilbert and Ellice Islands that people should be educated in voluntary family limitation; and if he will suggest to all Colonies that this problem should be considered by them with a view to overcoming widespread poverty and in many cases impending famine.
§ Mr. HopkinsonComment on the Second South Pacific Conference would be premature until its proceedings have been considered and referred to member Governments by the South Pacific Commission, to which the Conference is an auxiliary body. I do not think that any general exhortation to Colonial Governments is necessary.
§ Mr. ReidDoes not the Minister realise that this question of over-population is one of the fundamental problems of the Commonwealth, that it can only be solved by the people themselves, and that they must discuss it if they are to solve it?
§ Mr. HopkinsonI am fully aware that it is a social and economic problem in many of the Colonies. It is above all the responsibility of the local Government 1246 who are usually sympathetic to any plans of this sort, but the initiative is really for the people themselves.