Colonial Office.

Part of Orders of the Day — Civil Services and Revenue Departments Estimates, 1922–23. – in the House of Commons at on 4 July 1922.

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Photo of Mr Winston Churchill Mr Winston Churchill , Dundee

Where there are tremendous public works awaiting construction, which will enormously enrich the countries concerned, and enable them to buy our manufactures much more largely, we always fall between two stools. We have not got the money ourselves. The Government will not advance the money. What would be said were I to ask for a loan of £3,000,000 or £4,000,000 for developing Palestine irrigation at this moment? It would be completely turned down. But we are so mortally afraid of any private person coming along, or of any concession being given, lest they may make, something out of it. In a great number—the great majority—of cases, valuable works are not undertaken, and many people who undertake public works on Government concessions lose their money, while, in the few cases in which they make a small profit, the Minister responsible is always abused as a pickpocket, who has given away valuable public concessions to private speculators. The result is that the development of your possessions is far below what it might be, and that you suffer in your employment continuously by the fact that these great estates are not brought up to a high level of economic development.

I come to the Rutenberg concession. [Interruption.] Had the hon. Member who interrupts been present during the previous part of the Debate, he would have known that the Debate has ranged over a very general field. This concession follows in every respect the regular lines of Colonial Office procedure. It has been framed in the Colonial Office in exactly the same manner and spirit as if it related to East Africa, Nigeria, Ceylon or any other of the Crown Colonies. It has been scrutinised and executed by the Agents. Technical matters were submitted to the examination of consulting engineers.