EMPIRE COHESION

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 273, 17 November 1936, Page 10

EMPIRE COHESION

FOR WORLD PEACE.

LORD HARTINGTON'S VISIT.

ROYAL SOCIETY WELCOME.

"I think I now know more of your problems and your aspirations," stated the Marquess of Hartington, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, when replying last night to a welcome extended to him by the Auckland branch of the Royal Empire Society. The function was held a£ the Lyceum Club rooms and Professor F.' P. Woi-lev presided. The chairman and the Hon' F. Jones, Minister of Defence who represented the Government, in welcoming Lord and Lady Hartington, expressed the hope that Lord Hartington's visit would result in closer understanding between New Zealand and the Mother Country. Resemblance between New Zealand and England was emphasised by Lord Hartington in his reply. It had been like coming home to see the Dominion landscape, which, except for its beautiful mountains, provided a characteristically English scene. There were English hedses, English breeds of stock, English faces and even English birds in the fields.

Referring to his duties in representing the Dominions at home Lord Hartington said that as far as New Zealand was concerned these duties would now take on a new significance in the light of his personal experiences. He paid a tribute to the work of the society and said that it had to be remembered that the British Empire to-day was the greatest safeguard of world peace. But without the cohesion of the Empire world peace would probably not be safe for. more than a few months. British people enjoyed a greater measure of liberty than ever existed in the world before, but over great sections of Europe that liberty did not exist. "If we are to preserve the liberty of mankind it is of vital importance that we should preserve the cohesion, solidity and co-operation of the , Empire," he added. In this there was a great deal that Governments could not do, but the society, by keeping uppermost the ideals of the Empire, could perform a very real service for the cause of peace and liberty. Purpose of Visit. In the course of an interview yesterday Lord Hartington stated that, he had not attempted to discuss Empire problems with the Government, the principal desire of his visit being to make personal contact with its members. At the Imperial conference .. to be held in London next year, it was probable that economic and commercial matters would bo somewhat in the background, and that attention would be concentrated more on proposals for increased Empire co-operation in various spheres. Lord Hartington expressed genuine delight with what he had seen of New Zealand. He would have liked to have spent more time at Taupo. which, he said, quite apart from its fishing, was one of the most beautiful places he had seen. One point of interest -which Lord Hartington mentioned was the projected Empire air mail service from London to New Zealand. He said no difficulty was anticipated in having the service in operation by the beginning of 1938. "We realise fully the importance of such a service," Lord Hartington added. "My wife and I travelled from Singapore to Australia by air, and that gave us ample proof of the manner in .which air travel can destroy isolation. I can quite appreciate that the proposed service from London will mean much to New Zealand."