DOMINION STATUS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 208, 2 September 1926, Page 11

DOMINION STATUS.

A CONFUSING POSITION. BUT THE ONLY PRACTICAL ONE. FINANCE MINISTER'S VIEW. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporters WELLINGTON, Wednesday. It was noted by Mr. H. E. Holland (Leader of the Opposition) that the Prime Minister's lengthy statement on the Imperial Conference had contained no reference to the vitally important question of Dominion status. This deficiency, however, was amply made up subsequently by the Minister of Finance (Hon. Downie Stewart), who dealt fully with it. Mr. Holland declared that every item of foreign policy discussed at the Imperial Conference would more or less affect New Zealand's interests, yet the Prime Minister had stated that he would leave the ultimate decision in matters : of foreign policy in the hands of the j Imperial Government. Personally, Mr. Holland was not satisfied with that. The Dominions did want consultation. They were entitled to a fair voice in the affairs of Empire. In matters of defence we must be guided by our experience and problems, and not alone by the Imperial Government. The race for armaments would not bring us nearer to peace. Reply by Minister. The Hon. W. Downie Stewart corrected the impression held by Mr. Holland that the Prime Minister was prepared to leave decisions on Imperial policy to the Imperial authorities. That statement had been carefully qualified and the same condition applied to his remarks on Imperial defence. If the Opposition was represented at the Imperial Conference they must remember that their future freedom of criticism would be destroyed and that view havinggenerally prevailed the claim for the representation of the Opposition at conferences had been abandoned. On the question of tne status of the Dominions, he pointed out that at Versailles the British Dominions were treated not only as part of the British delegation, but as separate nations, but at the Washington Conference America refused to recognise them as independent nations. On that point he quoted from Sir John Salmond's report on the Washington Conference which, he said, was now accepted in Britain as a claseic document. His personal view was that we did not have an independent status, but occupied a position of inferiority to Britain- No nation had more authority than power, and for the Dominions to I claim to do the thinjre Britain could do I would be absurd. The view expressed ib.v Sir John Salmon was, he believed, the view accepted , by New Zealand. It was true we ran the rick of being drawn into war, but the bfest that could be done was to keep in as close communication as possible with the Imperial authorities, so that they would be fully advised of our views. ■ In any case, if Britain went to war. it was not likely the enemy would consider the Dominions were out of no matter what the views of the Dominions might be. In a jMseent series of lectures at University College, London, Professor Morgan had.eJtpreaeed the position very well. The trouble, he said, arose out of the use of the term "nations." The Dominions were not nations in international law* They could not have "foreign relations" with each other. To • say that I they had the right of making peace or I war was unconsciously to use the language of secession. What had been done in this respect at Versailles had been negatived by subsequent developments. Right of Consultation. The view which New Zealand had expressed through Mr. Massey, Sir Francis Bell and Sir James Allen, said Mr. Stewart, was the view of Professor Morgan. The Dominion was entitled to full rights of consultation, but the ultimate responsibility in foreign affairs rested on the Imperial Government. As for the suggestion that Dominion Ministers were entitled to advise the King, the result of this would be that the Crown might have to choose between conflicting advices, an utterly unconstitutional position. The Dominions were still in danger of being involved in wars about which they knew little. There were two schools of thought. One favoured an Empire Parliament; the other, which included the Canadians, favoured a loose alliance between each Dominion and Britain. This proposal created an illusory situation, because in the event of war no foreign Power would regard what a Dominion considered to be its status. The whole Empire would be treated as being at war. New Zealand Stands For Unity. The Nationalist leader (Mr. G. W. Forbes) said there were no two questions about it, New Zealand stood for unity of Empire. (Hear! Hear!) Any sacrifice should be made for that unity. The various Dominions each had their I peculiar problem, and we in New Zealand should try to realise that all I would like to see the Prime Minister do his best to smooth out any difficulties that might arise. All thinking people realised that Britain needed the i co-operation of her Dominions at this trying time when her trade was being seriously affected by internal troubles. "I do not feaf that the Prime Minister will consent to anything which we in New Zealand dissent from," declared Mr. Forbes. "I feel sure he will I do his best at the Conference to repre- ! sent this country in the best possible way, and to carry out the wishes of this House. He knows that he is going away representing a British Dominion, and that we are not going to put double magnifying glasses on what he does." Free Hand For Premier. Sir Joseph Ward said that he was absolutely opposed to the Leader of the I Opposition's suggestion that the Prime Minister should be instructed what to do at the Conference. "If you feel that he is going Home to represent only one section of the House, and that you don't trust him, then vote him out and put someone in his place," counselled Sir Joseph. The Prime Minister had promised he would not commit this country to anything new without consulting Parliament. What more could we ask If New Zealand was going to trust the Old World to help her in the " event of national disaster, then she must trust the Old World with.the responsibility j to. make war. What would be the position if, as Canada. suggested, three parts of the Empire were to be allowed to decide to stand out of war? A Generous Attitude. "I am with the Prime Minister on everything he is going Home for," declared Sir Joseph, amid approving Hear, heare," from the Government benches. "I am prepared," he con-

tinued, "to trust the Prime Minister till he comes back, hear his report, and, if he has done right, vote for him; if wTong, we will say ie has done his best." After the supper adjournment the •debate was carried on by Messrs. O. Sykes (Masterton), E. J. Howard (Christchurch South), D. Jones (Elleemere), Hon. D. Buddo (Kaiapoi), Messrs. W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne), H. T. Armstrong (Christchurch East), and H. Atmore (Nelson). The laet speaker was Mr. J. Mason (Napier), and at 12.50 a.m. the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates rose to reply. During the course of his remarks he expressed the opinion that New Zealand Parliament should devote more time to a discussion of foreign affairs as affecting the Empire. The Prime Minister's motion was then agreed to on the voices.