Colonial Empire. Introducing The Colonies: Under recent Colonial Development and liare Acts, passed by the Imperial Parliament in 1940 and 1945, *****120,000,000 has been set aside to promote plans for general progress. Although this can do no more than "prime the pump", schemes already under way cover such aspects of social welfare as domestic sciences as well as commercial undertakings. A group of Malay girls attending a domestic science course Johore Bahru learn to prepare cakes. October 13, 1950. (Photo by British Official Photograph).