NEED GREAT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 148, 26 June 1939, Page 7

NEED GREAT.

UNITY OF EMPIRE.

Stronger Ties Facing Troubled

World Situation.

BASIS OP COLONIAL POLICY

British Official Wireless.

KUGBY, June 25.

In the course of his speech at Cardiff last evening, Mr. Chamberlain referred to the recent Royal tour as strengthening the ties "of the Empire at a time when the need for Imperial unity was great in the face of the grave international situation.

He took up the charge that the Empire was one of the "haves'' opposed to what were described as the "have-not" countries.

It was, of course, true that the British flag flew over portions of the earth's surface "disproportionate to the size of the' British Isles." said Mr. Chamberlain. "Vet no historian who took full and impartial account of the facts would say Britain had treated her colonial possessions as a field to be exploited and plundered in the interests of the Mother Country.

"On the contrary," said the Prime "Minister, "we have gradually evolved the principle that we act as trustees for the countries we administer, with the intention of helping more backward races to improve their own conditions and take an increasing part in the work of government, until ultimately they can stand on their own feet and govern themselves without our help.

"It is hi this spirit that we administer the mandates ( that have been entrusted to us and the colonies for which we are responsible, and, although there is no doubt that we have made mistakes, we endeavour to learn from our own errors and apply our experience for the benefit of native peoples. It was in this spirit that we framed and passed the Government of India Act. and it was again in this spirit that we developed the final conception of Dominion status within (he Kmpire.

"To-day the great Dofninions are no longer subject in any way to the Mother Country. They are sister nations, free to pursue their own paths and solve their own problems in their own way. But they are still united to us by allegiance to the King and by that sympathy which arises from common standards of right and wrong and common ideals of freedom and independence. "This unity of thought and sentiment makes the British Empire to-day one of the great bulwarks of peace/'

[By special arrangement Reuter's World Servire, in addition to other special sources ol' information, is used In the compilation or the overseas intelligence published In this issue, and all rig-tits therein in Australia and New Zealand are reserved.

Such of the cable news or. this pajce as Is so headed has appeared in "The Times" and is sent to this paper by special permission. It should be understood that the opinions are not those of "The Times" unless expressly stated to be so.]