OTTAWA CONFERENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 141, 16 June 1932, Page 7

OTTAWA CONFERENCE.

AS EUROPE SEES IT.

BRITAIN'S HARD CHOICE,

POSITION OF DOMINIONS.

"I receive paP crs from Holland every week, and I read the opinion of the Continent about the Ottawa Conference," said Captain F. Bauer, ViceConsul for the Netherlands, when addressing the Chamber of Commerce this afternoon. "It is interesting to read the opinion of the other side, and see yourself as others eee you." As summed up abroad, the position, he said, was this: Whatever England s choice might be to re-establish her equilibrium, certain inconveniences must be coped with. If she shut herself in behind a tariff she weakened herself and ran the riek of drying m> the springs that fed her commercial and financial activities. If, on the other hand, she tried to preserve her worldwide influences and stand alone as before, without international alliances, she might not be strong enough. The question was: Could she set up a system independent of America and Europe, now that these countries were organising themselves industrially, each in its own way? If, relying on the aid of the Dominions, she agreed to enclose herself within the broad framework of her Empire, she was nevertheless renouncing that liberty of outlook that hitherto knew no bounds. If, finally, she united herself with Europe, she ran the risk of losing the help of the Dominions, who were determined not to compromise their youth with the declining age of the Continent, whose best days might be over. "It is the opinion of that great Frenchman, Andre Seigfried, that it is much more likely that England will not choose at all," said Captain Bauer. "Faithful to her tradition and her genius, she will hover between the two groups without giving herself completely cither to one or the other. A European England is a dream, and a closed Empire a Utopia. "So long as her Empire communications arc assured and her money is healthy, she can .adapt herself to any international system whatsoever." The Dominion, he added, appeared to rely on Home markets for the disposal of its primary products. How long was that going to last? Africa, and in particular Rhodesia, was becoming organised to send to England the same products as New Zealand; the Argentine was competing in the frozen meat industry. Those countries were near to England. Would it not be a sound policy for New Zealand to try to develop other markets? Agaiu he suggested the potentialities of the East.