asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if, in view of the fact that North Borneo and Sarawak import about half their rice supplies, he will make a statement on the progress of the schemes to grow rice there on a large scale by mechanical methods.

Trials are proceeding in Sarawak for the mechanised cultivation of rice. Any question of large-scale mechanised schemes in both Sarawak and North Borneo must wait until it is established that small-scale trials are successful.