BRITISH EMPIRE EXHIBITION.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17629, 5 December 1922, Page 7

BRITISH EMPIRE EXHIBITION.

ENQUIRY TO BE HELD.

ME E. A. BSLCHER'S VIEW. (By Cable—Pre?? As«ocintion —Copyright.) (Australian and N.i Cable Association.) LONDON, December 3. The Board of Trade, in consequence of the attacks upon the Empire Exhibition, has decided to hold an enquiry into the organisation. Mr E. A. Belcher has returned from his trip to the Dominions. He said that he camo hack with unbounded faith in the practicability of making the Empire self-supporting. He agreed that the sooner Britain gave increased attention to developing trade within the Empire, instead of worrying about Central and Eastern European countries, the better it would be all round. He paid a tribute to the hospitality and assistance given throughout Australia and New Zealand, and expressed the opinion that Australia bad shown a more rapid and complete recovery from the effects of war than any other part of tlie Empire. He was impressed with the strides that Australian cot-ton-growing was making, and said that he believed that within fifteen years Australia would become tho Empire's greatest cotton producer. Australia was undoubtedly now attracting a higher class of British immigrants than any other Dominion.

It would now he his duty, Mr Belcher said, to superintend tho Dominions' side of the Imperial Exhibition. Ho meant to use every, endeavour to see that the Dominions gained the most valuable and practical benefit from it. In reference to the controversy regarding the üb® of Empire products exclusively at the Exhibition restaurants, Mr Belcher expressed the opinion that there should never have been the difference of view between the executive and Australian opinion, but the executive wanted to be scrupulously careful to give no promise which it could not fulfil to the letter. There were infinite difficulties in changing over within a moment from the system, tinker which world supplies were available, to a Bystem of exclusive Empire supplies. Caterers were scared to death by cny sort of conditions or restrictions. Nevertheless, he was confident that the problem would be settled to the complete satisfaction of tho Dominions.