WHERE DO WE STAND.

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 130, 29 November 1926, Page 8

WHERE DO WE STAND.

(To tho Editor.)

Sir, —The able article you have pub lished on Imperial relations, aud th« excerpts cabled from the Loudon dailies give the average man. a clearer idea of the above question than is obtainable by reading the committee's report. The "Daily Herald's" criticism of it as "a masterpiece of evasion" appears to correctly sum up the position. "The Times" describes it as "a register of existing conditions." Consequently, in what respect have the Dominions attained to th« higher relations we had hoped would result from the Conference J What, I may ask, were those hopes? I suggest they were (1) that machinery would be de- X vised by which the Mother Country could engage in war only after consultation with, and agreement by, the majority of the overseas Dominions; (2) that the right of the Crown to veto legislation passed by a Dominion Parliament should be fully reviewed; (3) that the welding of the Empire into -an economic whole for mutual protection, support, and development should be fully and openly discussed. Instead of these things we have received (1) an alteration of the King's title, which "Tho Times" describes as -"trifliag"; and (2) the assurance that "the King is now the sole physical bond between Britain and the Dominions." Which may be at once summed up as "fudge." What physical bond but the Monarch has' ever existed? Going a step further, may_ I point out that as constitutional' Sovereign His Majesty can act only ou the advice of his advisers. He possesses no power of initiative. We are asked to fliug up our hats because a State paper has been issued which speaks of "His Majesty's Government in Australia." To my mind the emphasis should rather be on the right of the Australians to govern themselves, lmt I will not labour the point. The question that concerns us most is this: Will the channel of communication between the Dominions and the King be, as hitherto, the British Government, or will New Zealand and the other Dominions have the right of direct access to His Majesty, and will he be constitutionally bound to accept the advice of the Prime Minister of this Dominion, or the advice of the Prime Minister of Great Britain upon the advice of the Prime Minister of New Zealand? There is the crux of the matter. The question of the relation of th» Governors-General is dealt with'by "The Times," which says the i.port "definitely raises an anomalous and dual system, whereby the G.fl. is both the King's representative and the formal channel of communication with His Majesty's Ministers in London." I diffidently, submit that if this means that'the Government of New Zealand will be required to communicate with the Imperial Government only through the Crown's representative, instead oE going a step forward, we- shall have taken one backward. And this leads me to ask the question, Will the result of the Conference's deliberations be to give us a larger measure of self-government, so that we shall be free to state our laws and policy without the Royal veto? A striking case comes to my memory as I write. When the late Hon. J. A. Millar was Minister of Marine an amendment of the Shipping and Seamen's Act was passed making it compulsory on overseas vessels trading between New Zealand ports to pay Now Zealand rates of wages. " The clause was, of course, aimed at Lascar seamen and firemen. It was vetoed by the Homo Government. Comment is needless. It is easy to cjliceive the day may come—perhaps sooner than many expect—when legislation on similar lines will be passed. Then will arise problems that cannot be silenced by eloquent dialectics, such as this report contains. A word in conclusion. It lias been hinted by cable that ono purpose in altering the status of Governors-General is to provide positions for Royal scions. A great mapy New Zealanders will devoutly hope that."this may not bo so. We have had Governors and Governors, but while (he standards set by Lord Jellicoe and Sir Charles Fergusson are maintained the Dominion would have nothing to gain by a change to royalty at Gov>"'>'""»t House. —I am, etc., «. W. RUSSELL. I Island Bay, 25th Novcmben