REPLY TO CRITICS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 21, 25 January 1924, Page 4

REPLY TO CRITICS

PREMIER'S IMPERIALISM

MR. MASSEY STATES HIS POSITION

STATUS OF PREFERENCE PROMISE.

AUCKLAND, 24th" January. An important and comprehensive statement was made by the Prime Minister on his arrival. " My attention has been called," said Mr. Massey, " to some recent criticisms which have appeared in certain newspapers in the Dominion, apparently based upon a misapprehension regarding what is assumed to be my definition of the status.of the Empire Conference. Prior to leaving New Zealand I moved a' resolution in Parliament, which was agreed to unanimously, to tUe effect that nothing done at any Imperial Conference should be binding on any self-governing Dominion or come into operation until ratified by its own Parliament. That should be enough tor anyone without going further, but I consider I.,am justified in putting myself right, and making the position clear. . ■ • ' " Speaking at Toronto, I dealt, inter alia, with this point, and the following is an extract from tny remarks as reported in the ' Globe 'of 28th December : —' He wished to state it absolutely that the Imperial Conference had no intention of dictating to any British nation in any respect, but confined itself to Empire. matters, British nations to remain self-governing nations within the British Empire, under one King and one flag.' Again, in the course of an interview which -I* gave to the London "Times," on the eve of my leaving the United Kingdom, I said that whatever the developments of the next few weeks may bring in their wake, it would be lamentable if anything were to cancel the promises made to the Dominions, and thus undo the work of the Conference. NON-PARTY UNDEETAKING. "It would be a slap in the • face to British sentiment throughout the Empire, and the harm that it would do would last for many a long day. Surely the promises offered at the Imperial Conference are promises made by the Mother Country to her Dominions, and not the promises of one party or of one Government. If this principle is not accepted, I fear that it will seriously affect the Dominion attitude toward^ future Conferences. The last thing I want to do is to interfere in British domestic politics. My earnest wish, however, is to point out the pos-" jsible effect., of going back on the considered deliberations of the Empire in Council. Even if a new Government were to come into power, surely its policy would be to honour the pledges made by its predecessors to the sister nations' of the British Commonwealth? 'The Times' has rightly epoken of the British tradition of continuity in foreign, policy. Is there not an even greater duty to ensure continuity in the policy adopted towards the nations of the Empire itself ? If a new Government were to adopt the progress recommended by the Imperial Conference, it would naturally have claim to tne support o.f Mr. Baldwin and his followers, who could not possibly oppose their own proposals. The position would, therefore, appear to be perfectly logical. • "The principal functions of the Conference were to ,' consider the v best methods of developing the British countries overseas; to assist in arriving at a solution of the /present difficulty in Europe, with the object of having fixed, finally and definitely, the amount of reparation to be paid Ky Germany; to assist in removing the industrial depression which Great Britain is at present experiencing; to consider the de^ fence of the Empire, and specially naval defence, and generally to. strengthen the ties that keep together, within one Empire, the several British countries. "These were the problems which were uppermost in the minds of the overseas representatives, and I believe in the minds of the representatives of the Homeland as well. I think that the Conference accomplished something in the direction of_ each of these aims. In order to meet in London it was necessary for the leaders of the several dominions/to travel "thousands of miles, and to remain absent from their posts for many weeks. It. would be a calamity if all or any of the vyork they helped to accomplish at the round table of the Empire were to be scrapped because of a change in the domestic politics of the country. The recommendations adopted by the Imperial Conference will tend to strengthen the ties that keep the Empire intact, arid this was the thought that inspired those who have advocated Imperial preference for years past. STABILITY OF THE DOMINIONS. "The present uncertainty as to the position shows the need for placing the Imperial Conference, or whatever it may be called in the future, on a more practical and businesslike footing. Not for a "moment do I wish to overstate the case- There has been a certain amount of wild talk as to what, would happen if the promises were not kept. We in New Zealand are essentially a people who ko British by blood and by sentiment. If Britain did not keep these promises, there will not be any suggestion so far as we ars concerned of "The end of the Empire,' or of 'Cutting the painter,' nor will we seek reciprocity with the United States or with anyone else. At the same time we will be disappointed. The mischievous element in our midst will have a, fresh handle for their agitations, and it is no use disguising the fact." "Apparently," stated Mr. Massey, "objection has been<taken in some quarters to the use of the expression 'Empire in council.' A reference to "The Timas" will show the word council is spelt with a small c and does not refer to any formal body, legislative or even administrative. I used the word in its ordinary sense, remembering that the Conference consisted in the first place of the Prime Minister of Great Britain and the Prime Ministers of all the self-governing dominions, a truly Empire body. ,It is quite true there were occasionally other Ministers present, but that does not affect the position. Had the writers of the articles to which I have referred waited until they had received copies of their English exchanges it would not have now been necessary to correct the misleading construction which lias been placed upon my remarks. THE "GUARDIAN'S" ATTACK. "While dealing .with this question," further stated the Prime Minister "I think it will be well if I quote fully my remarks in Canada regarding certain cri> ticisrms which appeared in the "Manchester Guardian." Speaking ;it Vancouver on Ith January, I-paid you will have noticed that I 'have, bepri found fault with by the "Manchcalcr Guardian" for some of the things which I have eaid since coming to Canada; list me say here that I hays been very gkd jj.»i tb» ''lauifdka" Jias been iaking

notice, and it looks aa if what I said had some effect. - "I do not expect party- newspapers like the 'Guardian' "to agree with me, but after a reference, in somewhat questionable taste, to the 'much pelted sons' the writer of this extract is very extraordinary when he goes straight from England's very cordial hospitality to tell another Dominion that we do not kiiow how to manage our own affairs. He shows how extraordinarily far it is possible for tlie spoilt child line of com. ment to go. That is to say, because the British people have been hospitable to the members of the Conference, including myself, we should approve of everything that-lias taken place, or say nothing. That is a doctrine I cannot endorse and with which very few British citizens will agree. I have more than once expressed my appreciation of the kindness and courtesy of the British people, and' am ready to do so at any time. The 'Guardian' apparently forgets that what is taking place in Britain, is of the utmost importance to the overseas countries of the Empire, as well as t'> Britain herself. Part of the business of the recent Conference was to assist jii lifting the depression from which Britain is suffering. We know perfectly ; well that the overseas countries cannot Le prosperous unless Britain is prosperous, and the representatives at the Conference have been encouraging their countries to proceed with development work, which would indirectly Assist in providing employment for the unemployed workshops of Britain, and for the million and a quarter unemployed who are idle there now. PRACTICAL PREFERENCE. ! "The 'Guardian' says Britain lets our goods, in free, and that this is/handsome treatment. Just so. They let our goods in free just as they let in the goods of foreign countries, goods from South America, United States, and the Continental nations. There was no difference between thj foreigner and the British citizen, but take my country, for instance. We give preference to British countries in^our Customs tariff on 425 articles. I know that Canada has done a great deal for British preference, and I am glad to acknowledge it. "'New Zealand's exports during !the last producing year amounted to £47,000,000, while her imports were £41,000,000. Seventy, per cent, of the machinery imported into New Zealand last year came from Britain, 86 per cent, of metal manufactures, 76 per cent, of the apparel, 81 per cent, of the textiles, 99 per cent, of the fibres, 89 per cent, of the tobacco, and 66 per cent, of the jewellery. Of New Zealand's total imports, 74 per cent; came from" Britain. As a matter, of fact, the whole of the Dominions are developing and increasing in population, trade, and influence for the good, and I am vain enough to think that the future of the Empire rests at least as much with the overseas countries as with Britain itself. • "Like many others not actually resident in Great Britain, I took a tremendous interest in the issues which were placed before the public at the General Election, but in order to prevent any misunderstanding, let me say that I never'^fayoured the cause of any particular candidate at. the British elections. I never referred to any one of the contending political1 parties, but I did express regret. I would like to say this in conclusion, that the churlish remarks such as-have been indulged in by the "Manchester- Guardian" do not promote the cause of Empire, nor tend to foster unity between its different countries. That was my reply to the "Manchester Guardian. "I think it will be admitted that I have had some experience, and possess some knowledge of Imperial affairs. Whatever my sins' and shortcomings, according to my journalistic critics, may be, I do riot think any of them will say that I am unpatriotic. Just let me conclude by saying, although it is scarcely necessary to do' so, that I stand for ,the j Empire every time, and on that account I stand for Empire preference, because I believe that' it will unite the 'different countries of the Empire as nothing else will, and that without it the -Empire will never have the prosperity which, with its potentialities, it ought joy"l believe, if the recommendations made by the Imperial Government are agreed to by the British Parliament, they will give people connected with fruit-growing, bee-farming, fish-canning, and other minor but still important industries, much encouragement which they now feel the want of. But whether the—British Parliament agrees to the recommendations or not, it will not make the slightest difference to the loyalty of New Zealand, and I believe the same may be said of the~other Dominions as well. •* / ','1 have, however, confidence in the sense of fair play and justice on the part of the British Parliament to believe they will honour the recommendations of the Conference."