THE LONDON CONFERENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 99, 29 April 1933, Page 8

THE LONDON CONFERENCE.

One of the drawbacks to a Coalition Government is'that the leaders tend to become Siamese twins, undivided in business that does not always require the attention of both. When Ave say that there is no need for both the Prime Minister "and Mr. Coates to go to the World Economic Conference in London, we do not mean to underrate the importance of that gathering'. The Conference will be a momentous event, more important than Ottawa if only because the world is larger than the British Empire. New Zealand must be represented there, for the reason that, like every country, she will be involved in the Conference's'decisions. Tariffs and exchange, War debts and currencies—these matters will be discussed and, one .hopes, settled there, and dhr point of view must be expressed. It will be sufficient, however; if,one of the leaders of the Coalition goes to London. 110 will have the assistance of Sir Thomas Wilford, one of the ablest of our High Commissioners, who is in close touch with the financial and political world in London, and can quickly grasp the issues involved in Conference discussions. Moreover, our representative can be assisted by a small but cai-efully chosen local delegation, which should, include a trained economist. The choice should fall on the Prime Minister as head of the Government. When Mr. Coates and Mi. Downie Stewart went to Ottawa, Mi. Foibes remained, in charge of New Zealand, affairs. | Now Mr.' Stewart is out of the Ministry, and, if both Mr. Forbes and Mr. 'Coates . went to I the World Conference the Ministry, would j be. dangerously weakened for the task of i looking after locai affairs. To put it plainly, important ias the Conference is, conditions ! in Ncav Zealand are such that the country cannot afford to allow the two leaders in its Government to leave the country at the same time. '