AT GUILDHALL

Evening Post, Issue 113, 10 November 1930, Page 9

AT GUILDHALL

EMPIRE PREMIERS

ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION

Mil. FORBES'S SPEECH

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 3rd October. Five well-known organisations having at heart the welfare of the British Empire hit upon the happy idea of joining forces to entertain the overseas Prime Ministers and the representatives of India attending the Imperial Conference. This function—a very successful and pleasant one —took placo at the Guildhall on Ist October. The hosts were: The Boyal Empire Society, the British Empire League, the /Victoria League, the Overseas League,; and the British Empire Club. .For.: the occasion they called themselves the Patriotic Societies. A representative of each body received the guests, who numbered about 800, the Dowager Countess of Jersey performing this agreeable task on behalf of the Victoria League. H.R.H.. Prince Arthur <of Connaught presided. The splendid and historic building looked its best, and all details were carried out without a hitch, as is the custom in the City of London. The catering was perfect, and the table decorations were appropriately of flowers of red, white, and blue. Many people of note were present. The Went-worth-Roffe Orchestra gave a programme of attractive music, all very softly played. There were many welldressed women, and special picturesqueness was imparted by eminent Indian guests, who wore togas of many colours as weJl as Orders. Guests at theh high table included:— To the right of the chairman —Miss Bennett (Canada), Lord Sankey (Lord Chancellor), Princess Arthur of Conjiaught, Mrs. Philip Snowden, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, Lady Squires, Sir Wedgwood Benn, Mrs. J. H. Thomas, Lord Passfleld, Lady Sidey. To the left—Mrs. Scullin, Mr. Snowden, Mrs. Forbes, Eight Hon. J. H. Scullin, Bight Hon. J. H. Thomas, the Maharaja of Bikanir, General Hertzog, Mrs. Clynes, the Maharaja of Kapurthla, Sir B. Squires, and Sir T. Sidey. Among New Zealand; ers one noticed: Sir Thomas and Lady Wilford, Sir James Mills, Captain J. H. F. M£Us, Sir James Parr, Sir C. and Lady Holdsworth, Mr.- and the Hon. Mrs. Godfrey Holdsworth, Mr. F. D. Thomas, C.M.G., Lady Salmond, Colonel and Mrs. N. Fitzherbert, Mrs. G. D. Greenwood, Dr. D. Colquhoun, Mr. S. G. Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. D. G. Davidson, Capt. Donald Simson, Colonel Bernard Myers, Commissioner D. C. Lamb, Mr. B. H. Studholme, Mr. Robert Mill, Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Wray, Major J. R. Kirk, Mrs. Matthew Holmes, Misses Beatrice ana C. Holmes, Mrs: Carey Hill, Mrs. M. Wilson, Mr. J. S. Hvslop, Miss E. A^nes, and many more. The toast of "His Majesty's Dominions Overseas and India" was proposed by Prince Arthur of Connaught, who said he was charged to ask the Prime Ministers of His Majesty's Self-Govern-ing Dominions and the representatives of India to carry homo to their people of all parties, classes, and creeds an expression of the abiding, unalterable affection, goodwill and sympathy leit towards them by the people at Home. ' Tho toast was responded to by tne Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the Union of South Africa, as well as by the Secretary ot State for India (the Bight Hon. Wedgwood Benn, D.5.0., D.F.C.). DESIRE TOR CLOSER TRADE. Mr. Forbes said everyone in New Zealand looked upon Great Britain as their home',-his own arrival had been a real home-coming. The Guildhall was only one of "our" treasured edifices; others he hoped to see in due course. Beferring to Sir Joseph Ward, Mr. Forbes said that his late leader was a great Empire figure—a man who contributed a full share in past years in assisting the development of tho Empire, of which we. are all so proud. His thought and conception were along the light lines. His death robbed the Empire of a very great Imperialist. Corning to the Conference, whose.importance New Zealand fully recognised, Mr. Forbes said: [■■■ "We are not without our worries there, both financial and political —and what country to-day is not?-r-and the universal wish was that the Dominion should be represented at the Conference, and' by its Prime Minister, and I had a mandate to attend to which jiot only all political parties but the ■whole country subscribed. As New Zealand's representative I come as her former delegates have done to contribute in every way possible to the greater consolidation of the Empire, and the welfare and prosperity of the various parts. These undoubtedly are difficult times, difficult for all the' countries of the Empire. None is without its flagging trade, unemployment, and financial shortages, and this position is not peculiar to the Empire. Fortunately, within the Empire we have the elements for self-help if we can only apply them. (Applause.) And it is in the study of this great desideratum that I think the most important work of the Conference will lie. "There are many ways in which we can help each other in trade more than we do, though New Zealand's record so far as her purchase of Empire goods is concerned is one of the best. (Cheers.) Many remedies have been proposed, and much data has been produced to show what can be done. Let us hope bur united efforts will bring •us at least some distance along the road to a solution. The need is urgent, for not only is the present position causing distress and privation where it should not exist, but the progress and the development of the lands of our great Empire are in danger of being hindered. THE GENERAL PROBLEM. '.'ln New Zealand we have been rigorously applying scientific aids to production with great success, and our output has increased remarkably, but what is the use of it if we cannot sell 8t profitable prices the increased yields? And that seems to be the general problem. The markets of the outside world are closed to us by barriers— even if we sought to enter them. We must look more within our own family than we have done for mutual help. Personally, I feel confident we shall do good work. I do not make light of the difficulties in tho way, but with a good family spirit of give and take most of them should be overcome. "There are other matters wliich the Conference will have before it, but none of them, to New Zealand, appears at the present time so outstanding as that to which I have referred. Let us bring prosperity to our Empire first, and get rid of the present depression which sits like a pall upon us. We- all have our problems, but tho Mother Country's present burden is tho greatest of them all. I need' not speak here of New Zealand's affection for Britain or of our desire to help her trade in all practical ways possible. These things you know; but I wish to renew once more our expressions of loyalty and close kinship and to express the confidence'of all my fellow-countrymen that it will not be long before prosperity once more awaits upon this great land." applause.)