THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Evening Star, Issue 20496, 29 May 1930, Page 10

THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

A message which wo publish to-day leaves little room for doubt that Mr Forbes is going to tho Imperial Conference. The only thing, in a political sense, that would prevent his going would be the prospect of his Government being turned out of office immediately his back was turned; and he has his own plan, according to the message, for averting that risk. It is believed that, when the session begins, the Prime Minister will seek an assurance from both the Opposition parties not to allow any motion destructive of his Government to be passed during tho time of his absence on Imperial business. That would have been a great deal to ask a score of years ago, when the war of parties was waged much more relentlessly than it is to-day. It might have been too much to ask a much shorter while ago. As his intentions have been defined, Mr Forbes will arrange -,his programme so as to put the least strain on generosity. His most contentious Bills will be brought down first and put at the top of the order paper, so that they can be disposed of in the first two months of the session, before ho is required to depart. That will require the debates on tho Address-in-Reply and the Financial Statement to bo cut much shorter than they were a year ago. There was a case for giving full length to them then, because it was a now Parliament that was assembled and a new Government that was meeting the House. Even in those circumstances, Mr Holland' made strong pleas that they should he curtailed. They are normally strung out long after they have ceased to fill any useful purpose, and all parties should be glad to see them shortened in the coming session. Of more aid to Mr Forbes, in his object of seeking a truce for his Government while he attends the conference, is tho fact that party warfare has lost almost all its old sharpness during recent years. The war began that tendency. It was bound to bo confirmed under three-party conditions. There is the least inducement to putting, a Government out' before its time when no other; party can feel sure of a majority, and the attractions of office present their smallest lure when the first task of office is dealing with unemployment. In a real sense there has been a truce in’ New Zealand party warfare since minority Government began. Mr Ramsay MacDonald, in somewhat similar circumstances, expressed . the hope that Parliament would be able to work more like a national council than on the old party lines, 1 and something like that has come nearer in New Zealand. Mr Forbes acknowledged the development when he said, in his thoughtful message on assuming, the 'Prime Ministership, that' f.’om those who might differ from him politically he knew that the new Government would receive. consideration, and that there would be national and Imperial occasions' upon- which they - v would- : feel justified in giving it their disinterested help. If the other parties want to put Mr Forbes’s Government out, by acting together they can do it at any time before he goes Home.- If they do not want to do'-it then, they may find it quite feasible to give him tie understanding which ho is said to want. An understanding with one party would bo enough. i The conference will bo ,an important one.' Four years ago the principles of dominion status, which make the constitution iff the Empire, were laid down, and the report of an expert committee has since been ■ received, setting forth what they should mean in detail. Matters involved in this report are restrictions at present existing on dominion legislation. Another committee has reported, on Empire shipping legislation . and nractice; and other matters which will come before this conference are the setting up of. a tribunal to determine disputes between members of, the British Commonwealth and the question of appeals to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, which has become a burning question in Ireland. It is obvious that the conference will not be left for Mr Wilfofd to attend—which would bo a new;' function for a High Commissioner —if there' is any chance of Mr Forbes getting Home. Apart from the argument that the Prime Minister should attend it as tho most suitable person, there is , the real argument from the country’s viewpoint that attendance at it forms the best education for a Prime Minister. Mr Massey , came back notably bigger and more of -a statesman from his mingling with the statesmen of the entire Empire. The experience should not mean less to Mr Forbes. _