British Commonwealth And U.S. Relationships

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28154, 18 December 1956, Page 2

British Commonwealth And U.S. Relationships

The vital importance of good relationships between the British Commonwealth countries and between the Commonwealth and the United States was the theme of a talk given by the Marquess of Lansdowne to the Canterbury branch of the Victoria League, last evening. “In these days we should avoid criticising our American cousins,” he said. “We may not always agree with them but we must stop this carping and work with them.”

Recently, there had been a tendency to denigrate the achievements of Great Britain. “We have nothing to be ashamed of and everything to be oroud of. This business of running down the British Empire must not continue. Consider what we have done —we have given free Parliamentary Government to a major part of the world,” he said.

As a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association delegate. Lord Lansdowne had been visiting Australia to celebrate the centenary of the granting of Parliamentary government in four states of Australia.

Democratic principles of the Parliamentary system, initiated at Whitehall. have spread throughout the British Commonwealth, he said. The Victoria League represented another vital bond in the Commonwealth Countries by extending friendship to its branches in other countries. Belief in Values

“I like to think of the Commonwealth as a family with the Queen at the head and all of us as relatives,” he said. “But a family does not hold

together because we are related but because we love each other. The Commonwealth cannot hold together merely because it is a family but only because its members believe in its values. We must be friendly and remember each other to maintain the link. That is what the Victoria Leagueis trying to do and it is succeeding.” Lord Lansdowne, who is chairman of the Victoria League in Scotland, is on a private visit to New Zealand with Lady Lansdowne but has visited branches of the league in all the main cities of New Zealand. “N.Z. Room”

“One of the reasons why I wanted to meet members of the league in Christchurch was to say ‘thank you’ for the gift of money New Zealand sent towards the cost of repairs to our club in Scotland,” he said. “The money helped, but the gesture and kind thought helped even more. As a result we now have a room know as the ‘New Zealand Room.’ The door carried the arms of New Zealand and the room has been dedicated to honour the Dominion in gratitude for what you have done for the Victoria League in Scotland.” A reception was held in honour of Lord and Lady Lansdowne by the Canterbury branch of the Victoria League, at Elizabeth House, last evening. Specially invited guests included Lady Sims, whose husband. Sir Arthur Sims, is a life member of the league, and presidents of kindred Empire societies. The president (Mrs R. B. Neill) received about 50 members and guests.