BY RADIOPHONE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 161, 11 July 1938, Page 9

BY RADIOPHONE.

EMPIRE CABINET.

Joint Sitting by Means of Wireless. SUGGESTION FEASIBLE? LONDON, July 7. The idea put forward by the Commonwealth Attorney-General, Mr. R. G. Menzies, of six Empire Cabinets holding a joint sitting by means of wireless is perfectly feasible technically, says the “Spectator.” It states that there are devices which prevent outsiders listening-in—a point on which Mr. Menzies is not yet satisfied, though he thinks science should find a way shortly. The “Spectator” thinks that effective chairmanship would be difficult, but practicable.

“As things are and have been,” it says, “British policy In any crisis has to be decided rapidly by Downing Street. When it has been decided it is difficult for the Dominions not to endorse it, though they are very capable of preserving their freedom of action, as the Chanak episode showed in 1922.

“If Imperial Cabinet meetings by radio are hardly practical, direct personal conversations between the Prime Ministers or between the Foreign Minister in Whitehall and External Affairs Ministers in Ottawa, Canberra, Capetown and Wellington present no difficultv.

“The desire of the Dominions to have a voice in shaping policies directly affecting them is natural and unmistakable, and the last excuse for omitting or curtailing Imperial discussion is disappearing.” Coinciding with the trade talks between Australia and Britain, in which the President of the Board of Trade, Mr. Oliver Stanley, has very strongly urged the claim to revision asserted by British industrialists, comes the message regarding the coming into force of the Australia-Japan trade agreement, which admits 100,000,000 square yards of Japanese rayons and cotton textiles within a year.

Lancashire’s reaction may be an interesting feature of next week’s discussions.

Empire trade relations with the outside world illustrate Mr. Menzies’ contention that the Empire should speak with one voice, not six. Mr. Menzies, no doubt, recalled that when the Commonwealth began its trade war with Japan, largely in the interests of Lancashire. South Africa immediately jumped in with a special trade mission in order to fill the gap and help Japan out.