The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun. FRIDAY, MAY 27, 1932. THE OTTAWA DELEGATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 124, 27 May 1932, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun.

FRIDAY, MAY 27, 1932. THE OTTAWA DELEGATION.

m For the cause that larks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance, For the future, in the distance, And the good that we can do.

The country will be astonished, and even shocked, to learn that three Ministers are to go to the Imperial Conference at Ottawa. Even in a time of rampant prosperity and economic calm the size of this Ministerial delegation would bo extravagant; to-day it is quite indefensible. The economic condition of the country is serious, and as the winter goes on the task of dealing with it will grow more difficult. Problems of many kinds confront the Government, some of which may require instant and decisive action. Yet at this time the Government decides to send the three leading members of the Ministry on a lengthy trip abroad. Moreover, this political represent tation is confined to the Government ranks. It would be a graceful and a profitable act to invite a member of the Labour Party to accompany what is a national delegation going on a national and Imperial mission. No reader will do this paper the injustice of thinking that it underrates the importance of the Ottawa Conference, but the domestic needs of New Zealand have never demanded such thought and close attention as to-day. Besides, does anyone seriously argue that our political representation at Ottaw r a will be made appreciably stronger by the inclusion of Mr. Coates? There is a tradition that Prime Ministers shall attend Imperial Conferences, and on the whole it is desirable that Mr. Forbes should go, but this is an economic rather than a political gathering, and most of the work of negotiation will fall upon Mr. Downie Stewart, who, assisted by departmental experts and representatives of industries, would probably be quite capable of representing New Zealand adequately by himself. It is not yet known whether the Prime Minister of Australia will attend the Conference. There is certainly no need whatever for Mr. Coates to go. He will not add materially to the party's strength, and there is much urgent work for him to do in New Zealand. One is driven to the conclusion that Mr. Coates has been included for purely political and personal reasons. This is part of the price the country pays for the Coalition; Mr. Forbes nrast not venture forth abroad without Mr. Coates, and it does not matter that a dangerously weakened Ministry is left behind to govern the country. The choice of the non-political delegation will be generally approved, though tho party should be strengthened by the inclusion of the chairman of the Bankers' Association. Our industries, primary and secondary, will be well represented at the first Imperial Conference at which special industrial delegations have been present. But all over the country there will be sharply-expressed disapproval of the Ministerial party, and if Mr. Coates is wise he will at once withdraw.