DOMINION STATUS

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 286, 17 August 1926, Page 7

DOMINION STATUS

DEMAND FOR PRACTICAL APPLICATION MAY BE MADE AT IMPERIAL CONFERENCE ATTITUDE OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND A South African journal expresses the opinion that South Africa, Canada, and the Irish Free State will stand shoulder to shoulder for a practical application of the Dominion status, and that Australia and New Zealand may stand on the other side. By telegraph.—press Association. Copyright. Capetown, August 15. The “Nation,” a Nationalist English weekly, supposed to represent the official view of the party, discussing the Imperial Conference, says:— “There is every reason to suppose that South Africa, Canada, and the Irish Free State will stand shoulder to shoulder for a practical application of the Dominion status. Australia and New Zealand may stand on the other side. This is not unexpected as far as New Zealand is concerned, because she has never . fully emerged from the swaddling clothes of colonyhood. “The case is different with Australia, where the birth-cry of awakening nationhood from time to time has been heard. It is with some surprise, therefore, that Mr. Bruce’s denial of the claim of the Dominions to an independent status under the British Crown has been heard. It is not impossible that Australia’s fear of the East may have prompted Mr Bruce’s conservative attitude. Even so, not improbably his views will call forth a repudiation, even in Australia.” Referring to Mr. Bruce’s remark that sympathy and interest should be shown to the ideals and aspirations of other Dominions, the paper concludes :—‘‘These words give us reason to hope that Australia, even though she may not choose an independent status under the British Crown for herself, will, nevertheless, not only not oppose, but even view with sympathy the claim of other Dominions to whom, as General Hertzog has said, international independence has become an unavoidable national need.”—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.