VIGOUR OF ENGLAND

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 64, 13 September 1926, Page 10

VIGOUR OF ENGLAND

OPTIMISTIC VIEWPOINT

NEED FOR INDUSTRIAL PEACE

LABOUR AND IMMIGRATION.

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to "The Evening Post.")

AUCKLAND, This Day.

"The vigour of England is still quite unimpaired," was the substance of a message which the Marquis of Salisbury brings with him as the head of British Parliamentarians. Rather a gloomy picture of England's future, painted by Dean luge in his latest publication, was communicated to the Marquis, but he dismissed it quietly with the remark that such outburst was nothing new for the Dean. The Marquis had a much brighter view of England's future, and he refused to accept the Dean's somewhat doleful estimate of the value of the ties that hold the Empire together.

To him the one thing needed to right the present state of affairs in England was industrial co-operation. "When we get rid of the strike, and tho people reach that state when they will forget industrial strife and pull together, the country will regain her greatness," he said. "It is essential that we should have industrial peace and co-operation as far as the Empire is coimcerned. I am sure nothing could exceed tho loyalty of the Dominions. New Zealand's example in this respect is outstanding. On the journey through Canada we found that great Dominion equally loyal. I have no doubt that when we reach Australia wo will find the same fine spirit of attachment to the Old Country."

Discussing the objects of the visit, the Marquis of Salisbury said that the idea was to exchange opinions and discuss matters of common interest, such as Imperial migration, preference, and methods, by which they could facilitate communication between the Imperial Government and the overseas Dominions on matters of foreign policy and other Imperial questions. The problem of getting tho five self-governing absolutely independent nations to come together for discussions when the occasion rose was a great problem, one that required most thoughtful and serious consideration.

"What we want above everything else," concluded the Marquis of Salisbury, "is to bring about, not political union, but a real union of hearts and sympathies. If we can build up union, held together by such ties, I think we will be doing tho best thing that can be done for those that come after us, and we need then have no fear.for tho strength or the future of the British Empire. I have great belief in the future of Now Zealand." In the course of his remarks, the Marquis said he had had a great regard for the late Premier, Mr. Massey, who impressed him very much when he visited London on Imperial affairs. MIGRATION 0? POOR FAMILIES. The Right Hon. Arthur Henderson, who heads the Labour section, is making his first visit to New Zealand and Australia, and he said that as a Labour man and secretary of the British Labour Party he was interested mainly in the immigration problem. The Labour Party was not hostile to the migration of the people from the overcrowded cities of England and Scotland to now lands. There was a very rooted objection, however, to the sending out of poor families, if they ended only by drifting into the towns and returned to their old method of living. The British Labour Party was keenly desirous of seeing the undeveloped pastoral lands of New Zealand and Australia settled and brought into productiveness, but it could not bo overlooked that the drift to the cities was a serious factor to be dealt with. Mr. Henderson, laid stress on the fact that he and his Labour colleagues were members of the delegation and were not ac-, companying the party for the purpose of making any special investigations or reports on behalf of the Labour Party. "As a delegation composed of all parties, wo are under a self-denying ordinance not to discuss the political situation," said the Right Hon. J. I. Macpherson, P. 0., and the only Liberal member with the delegation. He represents Ross and Cromarty, where, according to a London correspondent, everyone calls him "lan" and apparently he is held in the same esteem as is New Zealand's Prime Minister in Kaipara. "Still more," ho continues, "we must not discuss or comment upon the political situation iv any of the Dominions which we are privileged to visit.''

Promptly, however, he found something of great interest to say. He is a Highlander, and some of his kinsmen came in the 'forties and 'fifties to New Zealand. "Naturally," he said, "I have taken deep interest in the Dominion from a youth up, and I regard this as a great opportunity to como into contact with the lifo of the people and tho ambitions, interests, and possibilities in this groat Dominion. We in. Scotland havo a very warm side toward New Zealand, particularly those of us who come from the Highlands. What wo saw to-day in Auckland has impressed us greatly. No city could be more beautiful, no welcome more kindly, and to-morrow we will see at Rotorua another side of new scenery. Rotorua is known to us all at Home as a place of historic interest.

IRISH DELEGATES.

Major Bryan R. Cooper, chairman of tho Irish 'Free State delegation, although on his first visit to New Zealand, has many friends in the Dominion, for he fought with Australians and Now Zealanders at Gallipoli. He is a ruddy, cheery Irishman, with a heart full of hope for the future of his country. Major Cooper was on tho retired list when the war broke out, but in September, 1924, he helped to raise the sth Connaught . Rangers and served with them on Gallipoli. The regiment was sadly cut about and the remnant was attached to the Australian and New Zealand forces. Major Cooper's associations were mainly with the Otago Mounteds, and he expressed a keen desire to see somo of his old com-

rades.

"For myself," he said, "I especially deplore the fact that time does not enable us to visit Dunedin. I spent a fortnight in August, 1915, in a dugout on the slopes of Bauchop's Hill, and I have ever since had a keen desire to see the home of the gallant men who captured it. Tho memories of Rhododendron Ridge and Apex come back to me and I do not believe I should find myself a stranger in Otago or any part of Now Zealand.

Few authorities in the British Isles havo so interested themselves in matters of public health as has Sir Edward Bigter, who arrived with the delegation. Ho is an eminont Irish medical man and i.3 Crown representative for Ireland on the General Medical Council of Britain. He is with the delegation by reason of the fact that he is a member of the Senate of the Irish Free State.

An interesting member of the Irish Free State delegation is Mr. M. F. O'Hanlon, who for tho past eight years has been secretary of the Irish Farmers' Union. In this capacity he has

acquired an almost unique knowledge of the agricultural conditions in every part of the Irish Free State. Mr. O'Hanlon is 35 yoars of age, and was formerly one of tho best known athletes in Ireland, having held both the Irish and inter-university championships. Ho acted as host to the Canadian and Australian Olympic teams when they visited Ireland after the Olympic Games in 1924.