asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when it is proposed to appoint co-operative advisers to the Gambia and to Sierra Leone.

The ten-year plans of both Colonies contain proposals for the development of co-operative societies under expert guidance, but action in this respect has been held up owing to the extreme difficulty of securing qualified staff at the present time. At the request of the Governor of Sierra Leone, I am now inquiring as to the chance of securing an administrative officer with experience of co-operation from the Indian Civil Service. The Governor of the Gambia has also indicated that he will probably require the services of an expert on cooperation