EMPIRE MISSION’S REPORT

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 122, 8 February 1923, Page 7

EMPIRE MISSION’S REPORT

CRITICISM OF NEW ZEALAND DAIRYING AND RAILWAYS SIR JAMES ALLEN’S PROTEST BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION. —Copyright. London, February 5. Sir James Allen, High Commissioner for New Zealand, has written to-day to the Duke of Devonshire, asking him to convey to the Executive Council of the Empire Exhibition a protest against Major Belcher’s report, in which New Zealand’s dairying industry and railways are adversely criticised. Sir James Allen, answering what ho describes as Major Belcher’s “belated claim that'the report was confidential,” declares that the Exhibition Publicity Department issued extracts to a number of newspapers, of which the High Commissioner only hoard indirectly. Thereupon he requested a copy of tho report. Had he been given the opportunity to consider Major Belcher’s report before it was published, he would hove been able to point out that it was largely misleading and inaccurate. “It seems inconceivable,” states tho High Commissioner, “that the executive should serd out a commission for any purpose other than to represent the advantages to the Dominions of participating in the Exhibition. I cannot imagine that Major Belcher was authorised to act as an ungenerous critic, as ho did in the case of New Zealand. Whatever his instructions were, it would have been a friendly act to inform the New Zealand Government, and also their London representative, of the nature of the report, in order that it might have been promptly answered.” Sir James Allen refutes in detail Major Belcher’s allegations derogatory to dairying, and declares that dairy farming in New Zealand has been, iv, and will bo successful. Referring to the railways, Sir James Allen admits that improvements ■ were suspended during the war., but the Department is now making up tho leeway. The High Commissioner adds: “It is unjust to criticise conditions caused by our war sufferings, and not to credit us with our efforts to improv© the railways.”—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.