§ 29. Mr. Pargiterasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what proposals have been made by the Government of Northern Rhodesia to encourage secondary industries in the territory, in view of the warning given by Mr. John Roberts, a Member of the Executive Council, on 2nd June in Lusaka, that there was a danger of unemployment in the territory.
§ Mr. J. AmeryThe Government have set up a Ministerial Committee under the chairmanship of the Minister of Labour and Mines and consisting besides of the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Local Government and Social Welfare.
The duty of the Committee will be to bring the claims of the territory before industrialists, to achieve closer liaison with the Federal Government and to form a link between the Federal Government and local authorities.
Consideration is also being given to the extension of the activities of the Industrial Loans Board in the financial assistance provided to industries.
§ Mr. PargiterWhile I am very glad to receive that assurance that some attention is being given to this problem, the Under-Secretary will be aware that a good deal of the prosperity of Southern Rhodesia in secondary industries at present has been based on the copper revenues which have been derived from Northern Rhodesia. Is it not time that some of those revenues were diverted so that they may enjoy the same stability in Northern Rhodesia?
§ Mr. AmeryThis seems to me at any rate to be a substantial argument in favour of the economics of federation.