TWELVE PACTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 198, 22 August 1932, Page 7

TWELVE PACTS.

OUTCOME OF OTTAWA.

Five Agreements Between the Dominions. BRITISH PRESS REJOICES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 12.30 p.m.) RUGBY, August 21. Twelve agreements were. signed when the Ottawa Conference ended. Seven were between Britain and individual Dominions and five between Dominion and Dominion. The British delegates were given an enthusiastic send-off when they left Ottawa for Home. They were well satisfied, with the outcome of the Conference,. Mr. Neville Chamberlain describing the result not as a national, but a great Imperial triumph, which would bring solid advantages to the signatories. The agreements, he said, would not only give a fresh impetus to the growing feeling of confidence in tfce Empire, but would stimulate world trade. He emphasised the fact 'that the agreements were not aimed against others, but would help others by their example and by the increased concentration of the Empire's power and purpose. The British Sunday newspapers rejoice in the triumphant conclusion readied by the Conference. The "Observer" says: "Ottawa has been essentially a great business transaction which had to be carried out in a business spirit under business conditions, like the majority of big deals. It will turn out to be the source of solid, if not sensational, profit to all parties engaged in it."

The "Sunday Times" says: "It has opened up a new era of Imperial trade and forged more strongly the bond?! uniting the Empire. Ottawa has 3uc ceeded in making itself the logical step between Lausanne and the World Economic Conference."

"The Times" in an' editorial article congratulating the delegations to the Ottawa Conference on its success, says: "To anyone who realises the immensity and complexity of the task and the strength of the obstacles which blocked the way, it must seem a miracle that the delays were so few and that in lem than a month the conference stopped the drift toward the economic isolation of the Empire's units and secured a general adoption of economic co-opera-tion in helping the world to find a way out of the depression."

The "Manchester Guardian's"- Ottawa correspondent says: "The proceedings at the conference have brought disillusionment and discouragement to those who hoped Ottawa would be but the beginning of a vast scheme o:E Imperial economic unity. It may be doubted if any true friends of the Empire ever **;ain will advocate an economic conference.

"The chief fruits of this conference are suspicion, doubt, and a determination to watch with eagle eye any indication of failure to carry out undertakings to the. letter. The British delegates have tied themselves to a series of quotas and tariff preferences which will be most difficult to administer and carry out."

The "Morning Post" comments: — "What for a generation has been a dream now has become a reality. The British delegation will return with sheaves of agreements, which open immense possibilities for Empire trade.''