WARM WELCOME.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 228, 26 September 1930, Page 9

WARM WELCOME.

MR FORBES AT LONDON N.Z. Aims to Promote Empire Welfare. GUT FOR MORE TRADE. (United P.A.—Electric Telegraph-Copyright) (Received.3.3o p.m.) " . ...LONDON, September .25. Mr., G. ."W. Forbes was heartily welcomed„ at Waterloo Station this evening. A crowd of.New Zealanders warmly cheered him. Sir Thomas Wilford, Mr. J. H. Thomas,' Dominion Secretary, Colonel de Satge, Colonial Office, Sir Harry Batterbee, assistant-Secretary' for the Dominions, and. Sir Charles Holdsworth were among the welcomers.' There were, many handshakes for old friends in the delegation. The customary barrage of cameramen did their duty, after which Mr. Forbes went to his hotel. He was earlier given a reception aboard the Majestic at Southampton by the Mayor. He said he had a delightful voyage from New York. Interviewed, Mr. Forbes said: "We do not bring any cut and dried proposals and have no memorandum to submit to the conference. : We recognise Britain's present difficulties; and are anxious to join in any, measures which will benefit her and New Zealand. "While Britain is already taking most of our exports' of meat, butter, cheese and other commodities, we can supply , much larger quantities. Though we import' -most of ; our requirements from Britain, -we ,are- anxious to increase the proportion. : New. Zealand is doing very well,, but'wants to do better." Asked what he thought of the British memorandum suggesting the . admission of Dominion food; products, in preference to foreign on the ground that they were produced under carefully controlled conditions,. Mr. Forbes said lie would give his fullest consideration to this and other proposals put before the conference." . > New Zealand, he said safeguarded the Interests'of the consumer in every possible way.- She never pressed for any material, change', in ' the constitutional relations with Britain. She recognised these were questions of- deeper concern to other parts of the Empire and did not propose to place any obstacle, in the way of a solution acceptable to all,-but woxild do everything possible .to, promote unity of the commonwealth'of nations.;-, 'f. < Mr.;Forbes said that,unless the Conference arrives at some agreed effective 0 economic policy it would not justify tlie high hopes entertained., He was much struck by the vastness of Canada, but admitted that Australia Was equally spacious. . . - ' - "After all, there is something to be said for a nice, small country. New Zealand is quite big enough for all thc people .in it, and many-more. . It is' a comfort? ableplace-inwhich tolive."-