TRADE BOOM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 229, 27 September 1930, Page 9

TRADE BOOM.

CONFERENCE ECHO. Anticipations of Dominion Prime Ministers. STRENGTHEN EMPIRE BONDS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, September 26. On reaching England to take part in _ the Imperial Conference which begins next Wednesday and is ex-j pected to last a month or six weeks,! a statement oil the problems eonfronting the conference lias been made to the Press by the Australian Prime Minister, Mr. J. H. Scullin, and the New Zealand Prime Minister, Mr. G. W. Forbes. Mr. Scullin, referring to the benefit of personal contact between members of the family of the British Commonwealth, recalled that Australia in common with other countries had felt the effects of world-wide trade depression. He proceeded: "Not only have we been faced with the necessity of redressing trade balance, but also of finding sufficient moneys in Loudon to meet our regularly, recurring interest and other charges amounting to more than £30,000,000 annually. "There has been no question of our ability to pay this money, although payment under the new conditions of lowered world prices will impose a! heavy burden upon us for the time being, but I sincerely hope no more will be heard of the suggestions that we are not prepared to meet our obligations. Repudiation Talk. "There never was any doubt about this matter. Holders of Commonwealth bonds may rest assured that we are a solvent nation and they need have no fear about our honouring our commitments. They should take no serious notice of the irresponsible talk about repudiation which represents the view of so small a majority of Australians as to be nearly negligible. "The advocates of repudiation carry no weight whatever. The overwhelming majority of Australians regard the national debt as their personal debt, and they are as jealous of their national honour as of their own." Referring to the work of the conference Mr. Scullin anticipated that the most important work would lie in the economic and constitutional spheres. Full equality of status between the Dominions and Great Britain was to-day explicitly and definitely recognised. The people of Australia desired to maintain the strength of ties of friendship that bind the great Commonwealth family together, and at the same time to ensure them elasticity. They hoped the discussions regarding the economic situation would go beyond the creation of consultative machinery and would lead to a direct stimulation of joint Imperial resources and trad© as on the occasion of the last conference.

Service Displays. Naval, military and Air Force displays are being organised to take place during the next few weeks at which the overseas delegates to the Imperial Conference will attend. The War Office display will be held at Aldershot, the Air Force display at Croydon, and the delegates will travel to Portland to view the naval exercises, which are being arranged by the Admiralty. Many banquets will be given in honour of the delegates. Among many others they include a Government dinner and reception, at which Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald will preside, at Lancaster House on September 30. On the following night the Royal Empire Society, the British Empire League, the Victoria League, the Overseas League, and the British Empire Club are giving a dinner for the delegates at the Mansion House, at which Prince Arthur of Connaught will be in the chair. On October 3 the Prime Ministers, and Ministers and their wives will be the guests of the King and Queen at Buckingham Palace. The Prince of Wales will be present. The Prince of Wales will also attend the dinner and reception given by the Empire Marketing Board on October 8.