IMPERIAL SPIRIT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 123, 25 May 1923, Page 5

IMPERIAL SPIRIT.

■ ■ PRACTICAL CO-OPERATION. BROAD-VISIONED SCHEMES. WORK OP THE CONFERENCE. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) LONDON, May 24. The "Times'' in a special Empire Day number publishes the following messages regarding tho Imperial Conference from Prime Ministers of the Dominions:-— Mr. W. F. Massey telegraphed:— "Measures ot practical co-operation must be designed and extended to give body and substance to the Imperial spirit. New Zealand rejoices that this need is now more clearly felt and acknowledged than ever before." Mr. S. M. Bruce, Prime Minister of ■ Australia, wrote: —"The Imperial and Economic Conferences are anticipated by Australia as an all-important opportunity to define and fix the policy under which the Commonwealth may advance as all independent Dominion of the Empire. In moving toward the solution of the problems to be discussed at the coming conference Australia's attitude will not be one of "hesitancy. We know what we want." General Smuts, Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa, sent the following message: "The world is a smaller place than it was. Troubles in Europe may involve catastronhes which would not leave South Africa untouched. We have the advantage, however, that we can approach them without the memory of past failures or bitterness arising out of past wrongs, and therefore with more detachment. This I consider one of the most promising features of the conference." In a leader dealing with the forthcoming conference the "Times" remarks that there has been a welcome quickening of interest on the part of the Dominions lately. Australia stands committed to several broadly-visioned schemes; Canada and New Zealand, after a period of hesitation due to various causes, are making cautious experiments. It is perhaps not too much to hope that the coming year will sec closer co-operation between the authorities in Britain and the Governments overseas upon practical possibilities in place of enthusiastic but unprofitable surmise as to future potentialities. The "Times" also gives prominence to New Zealand affairs in a two-column article which confines itself to a recital of the events and tendencies of the past year. The article refers to the perceptible but slow format fin of public opinion upon Dominion responsibilities and privileges. Some space is devoted to a defence of the imported labour system in Samoa, for the stated reason that while the position is so satisfactory that opposition is now rarely heard in New Zealand, there is still questioning on the other side of the world where the facts are not so well known.—('Times.") EMPIRE DAY IN SYDNEY. ENSURING CLOSER UNITY. SYDNEY, May 24. Empire Day was celebrated at all the schools, and gatherings were held in various parts of the city, public men participating. The principal gathering in the heart or the city adopted a motion on behalf of the city, pledging the citizens to do all in their power to ensure closer unity between the component parts of the Empire and to combat anything leading toward disintegration.— (A* and. N.Z.)