WORD “BRITISH" NOT USED

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25637, 28 October 1948, Page 3

WORD “BRITISH" NOT USED

COMPLAINT BY MR HOLLAND COMMUNIQUES OF PRIME MINISTERS (P A.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 27. Just when Britain wants the loyalty and co-operation of her Empire most she sees the process of breaking away going on, and for these reasons 1 greatly regret and deplore the dropping of the word ‘British,’ which means so much to me and millions of other loyal British people throughout the world,” said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland), in a statement to-day. He protested against the use.of the word “Commonwealth” in official communiques issued after the Prime Ministers’ conference instead of “British Commonwealth.” Mr Holland. said he could not be blind to the fact that there was a strong tendency toward the breaking up of the Empire and dividing it into small, independent, separate nations, even to calling parts of the Empire republics instead of Dominions. “One has only to think of recent happenings in India, Palestine, Egypt, Buriha, South Africa, and Eire to realise the extent to which the process is going ahead,” said Mr Holland. “I say quite frankly I deplore the present trends from the bottom of my heart. In our own Parliament we even heard it said that a member rejoiced in the liquidation of the British Empire. I may be only one person, but I know where I stand and that is true blue for a solid, loyal, united British Empire, with the Dominions free to manage their own affairs yet bound by ties of blood, tradition, history, trade, and language. I am all against dropping the word British, and for my part I refuse to drop it.”

He welcomed the promotion in status of high commissioners, said Mr Holland, referring to reports that high commissioners had been raised to ambassadorial status. As a self-governing Dominion in the British Empire it was right and proper that New Zealand representatives should be given the status and dignity which would enable them to take their place as equal partners with other parts of the Empire and with representatives of other countries. He thought the step entirely in the right direction.