MR. WATT'S MISSION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 228, 21 June 1920, Page 6

MR. WATT'S MISSION

WHY HE RESIGNED

REPLY TO MR. HUGHES

. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association, fv: London, June 18. fV-"' Mr. Watt informed the Australian j Press Association that he had not rejf,>V ceived ..the exact text of Sir. 'Hugbes'* gtatemont from Sydney, and the cable r. messageis in the British ncw6papcrs Dearie ly all varied in, some particular, r "As Mr.' Hughes says my resignation was unjustified,'' he added, "I wish to i i,-,.make a brief reply. At the commencep " : 'ment of my work in London I. was seri- : .. ously embarrassed in ny negotiations in wool matters.and those related to finance .by Mr. Hughes's interference. TJnde- ■ . • .terred by the difficulties thus croated' I 5 : pushed.-oni but-soon it became plain to ; ■ ' the British authorities and myself that, £ as Mr. Hughes was cabling direct to the British Government propositions differing ~::from those submitted by me, such _ important negotiations'could r.ot be simulto - tancously conducted 'by telegram with J. w ,. .Mr. Hughes in Australia and with myi ' ' self in person. I informed Sir. Hughes , that I could not proceed further with mv mission until my. position was defined. , The reply was not satisfactory, and Sir. i Hughes further indicated that Cabinet generally did not agree vith my nttir • -tude. Therefore, after mature considerni'tion, I felt that the (nly course open to FV;- me was to resign. "During extensive ciiblegraphic corre- ; 6pondenco other matters arose illustrats ' ing a divergence of opinion betweon my .. .colleagues and myself, to one of. which Mr. Hughes alluded. I was advised by ! : V : 'the Government that I had been api pointed Plenipotentiary for Australia in p'connection with the Spa Conference, but f. Nt the 6amo time I was r.aively directed V-hi not to agreo to aiiy alterations in certain !■ matters without Sir. Hughess authority.. [ , I replied that I could tot assume..the £•»;•>,» garb of Plenipotentiary with the powers of a telegraph messenger.. Briefly, i found myselt in this position: In matters which arose in discussion witli British ■ Ministers, and which were not on the 1 catalogun of my mission, I was not per„..mitted to do anything. the 1 ttrobloma wliich I was s€nt from Australia to settle, I was to net under direc- - .-i tions from Slelbourne. That status 1 could not accept, as itwasthntof an ,f '-official, not as a Minister of State. In t» ;s my cables I made it plain thlat on questions of finance requiring special know'v - -ledgo and swift decision I could not work i '*cn a chain- twelve thousand miles lonß-, There are many things I may say when I Teturn to Australia, but I do not desire ,at present to indulge in a Press con- - troversy with my late colleagues. If Mr. " Hughes ' considers these Ternaries lnac- : : Ciirate or unfair I invito him to lay nil tVte cables before Parliament. —Aus.-N./.. I Cable Assn.