THE HON. W. NASH

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1937, Page 10

THE HON. W. NASH

HONOURED AT HOME INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS CHAIRMAN AT DINNER (From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, December 5. The annual dinner of the Royal Institute of International Affairs was held at the Savoy Hotel on December 1. Always a notable occasion, the function had this year a special interest for New Zealand as the duty of presiding over the large and distinguished company of more than four hundred guests had been entrusted to the Hon. Walter Nash, New Zealand Minister of Finance and Marketing. The honour was especially appropriate in view of Mr. Nash's keen interest in international affairs, and both the manner and matter of the speech in which he proposed the toast of the principal guest, Lord Halifax, were greatly admired.

"As a Minister from overseas," Mr. Nash said, "I greatly appreciate the honour of being asked to preside tonight. I regard it as an honour not only to myself but to the country and the Government I represent. I have been acquainted with the work of the Institute since 1927, and I have no hesitation in saying that it performs a unique service in searching for the facts and in impartially presenting them. In linking up with the Institute of Pacific Relations and in sending representative delegations to that Institute's conferences it has helped to bring about a different atmosphere in the Pacific area. I have attended two of these conferences, but could not attend the last one at Yosemite as I was a member of the Government.

"I wish to say a word or two about the contribution made to the ideal of world peace by Mr. Anthony Eden, who is prevented by the debate on Spanish affairs from being our guest tonight. I believe that Mr. Eden has done a great work in striving to build up a practicable system based on the League of Nations. Under Mr. Eden's leadership in foreign affairs, the British Government stood out a year or so ago as the main factor in solving the problem of securing world peace. Though the leadership of the Government in this direction was not as strong as it might have been since, the democratic nations of the world still looked to Britain to take the lead. (Applause.) If there were more minds working like Mr. Eden's, I am certain the world would go forward to better times. I believe from discussions I have had with him and from reading what he has said, that he will do all he can to place democracy on top once more.",

After paying an eloquent tribute to Lord Halifax's services in India, Mr. Nash concluded by expressing his personal conviction that in the struggle of ideas that faced the world, force would not win through and reason must triumph. There was no security other than collective security. "A PRACTICAL IDEALIST." In his reply Lord Halifax referred to Mr. Nash as "a practical idealist" and to his share in establishing the Institute in New Zealand. The opening of branches there and in India was significant of the assumption by the Dominions of greater responsibility in the field of foreign policy. He went on to discuss the international situation and some of the factors which made, in his opinion, a strong line of action difficult. Those present included Mr. Ramsay MaeDonald, Sir Godfrey Thomas, the High Commissioners for New Zealand. Irish Free State, and Southern Rhodesia, the Hon. Mrs. Alfred Lyttelton, Sir Robert Vansittart, Sir Alfred Zimmern. Lord Strabolgi, Mr. Harold Nicolson, Brigadier-General E. L. Spears, Lady Snowden, Sir Percy Cox, Sir Frederick Sykes, Lord Clydesdale, Lord Lytton, Field-Marshal Sir Philip Chetwode, Commander Stephen KingHall, the Countess of Hardwicke, Sir Arthur Salter, Sir Norman Angell, Sir. George Macdonogh, Lady Bryce, Sir lan Malcolm, Mr. Philip Guedalla, Mr. H. Wilson Harris, Sir Percy Sykes, Mr. Lionel Curtis, Professor Arnold Toynbee, Professor C. K. Webster, Mr. H. W. Bevinson, Mr. Stanley Unwin, Miss Helen Rolleston, Mr. C. J. Wrat, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Lascelles, and Dr. A. H. Harrop.