Strong Pledge On Commonwealth

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29766, 8 March 1962, Page 15

Strong Pledge On Commonwealth

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

LONDON, March 7.

Britain’s Home Secretary (Mr Butler) last night gave an outspoken assurance of attention to Commonwealth interests in negotiations for British Common Market membership.

Whatever happened in Europe, the Commonwealth would be maintained intact and strong, he said, in a speech delivered at Lincoln. Mr Butler called the prospect of joining the Common Market a ‘‘great risk” and a great adventure. He said negotiations due to start this week were “going to be tough.”

“We must see to it that the interests of the Commonwealth are looked after in these negotiations, and we cannot agree unless we get proper terms for the Commonwealth.” he said.

The “Daily Express” quoted Mr Butler, Minister in Charge of the Common Market Cabinet Committee, as saying: “It is a great risk because hitherto the Commonwealth and we have had preferences and one great pride of our little island is that we are

not only lying off Europe but we are the centre of the greatest Commonwealth the world’s history has ever seen. ”... It is absolutely vital in these negotiations that, whatever we do in Europe, we maintain our Commonwealth intact and strong. “It is vital that we should obtain the conditions for our Commonwealth trade for New Zealand, which sends us our butter and lamb; for Canada, which sends us wheat; for Australia, which sends wheat and meat.

“We cannot agree unless we get proper terms for our Commonwealth, so that we can honestly tell our Commonwealth we can make ourselves stronger by making our trade the basis of something much bigger than now. I believe if we are strong and firm we can get the terms we want. If we can’t ...”