EMPIRE CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 22573, 15 February 1937, Page 6

EMPIRE CONFERENCE

Will LAST A MONTH DEFENCE AND TRADE Although the date of the Imperial Conference has not been fixed, the ‘Daily Telegraph’ understands that it Trill almost certainly take place in May immediately after the Coronation, said that paper on January 15. Important discussions are expected to take place at the conference on the question of Empire defence. It is likely that an effort will be made to frame a new policy on the question of foreign affairs. The following delegates are expected to attend: — Canada.—Mr W. L. Mackenzie King, Prime Minister; Mr Charles Dunning, Minister of Finance; Captain lan Mackenzie, Minister of National Defence. ;Australia.—Mr J. A- Lyons, Prime Minister; Sir Robert Parkhill, Minister of Defence; Mr R. 0. Casey, Treasurer. New Zealand. —Mr M. J. Savage, Prime Minister; Mr W. Nash, Minister of Finance. South Africa.—General Hertzqg, Prime Minister; Mr A. P. J. Fourie, Minister of Labour and of Commerce and Industries; Mr N. C. Havenga, Minister of Finance. India.—The Marquess of Zetland, Secretary for India; the Maharajah Gaekwar of Baroda; Sir Zafrullah Khan, member for Railways and Commerce on the Executive Council of the Governor-General. The Colonial Secretary, Mr OrmsbyGore, will represent the colonies. ADVISERS TO DELEGATES. Dr Skelton, head of the Department of External Affairs, will attend in an advisory capacity to the Canadian delegation. The principal advisers to the South African delegation will be Dill. D. J. Bodenstein, Secretary for External Affairs; Mr J. D. Heddon, Commissioner of Excise; Dr J. E. Holloway, Financial Adviser to the-Treasury; and Mr W. J . Lament, Secretary to the Department of Commerce and Industries. The question of Imperial defence is becoming more and more a matter of vital concern to the statesmen of the Dominions. This is particularly the case in regard to Australia, with her 12,000 miles of coastline. The Commonwealth is already spending more on defence than probably all the other Dominions put together. At previous conferences it has been frankly recognised that in the sphere of foreign policy, as in the sphere of defence, the major shore of the responsibility rests with the Government of Great Britain. Nevertheless, the dominions may be seriously concerned in regard to their relations with foreign countries, particularly where another nation is practically on their own borders. It is possible, therefore, that an Imperial policy in regard to foreign affairs will be discussed. LITTLE TIME TO TRADE. The conference is expected to devote little time to trade matters. It is believed that there will be a brief, formal discussion on certain principles of interimporia'l' trade issues. This will be followed by the signing of agreements which are now being negotiated in London between the dominions and this country, following experience of the Ottawa Agreements, on which, of course, they are all based. There has been a slight delay in regard to the completion of the AngloCanadian agreement owing to the need of adjusting two points of view in regard to certain items in the schedule of articles affected by tariff concessions. This has now been done to the satisfaction of both countries, and the agreement should be initialled iu the course of the next few days. Another issue which will almost certainly be raised is that of emigration. From the dominions’ point of view,

this problem is dlosely allied with that of the trade agreements. “It is no good our taking your men,” they say in effect, “ unless you will take the primary produce these men will grow when tkey reach us.” Many other may be brought up for discussion, and it is certain that the task confronting the statesmen will engage their full attention for a month or more.