Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. THURSDAY, JULY 26th. 1923. EMPIRE AFFAIRS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 July 1923, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. THURSDAY, JULY 26th. 1923. EMPIRE AFFAIRS.

Public interest in the forthcoming Empire conference in London should now be developed. Air. Massey hopes to leave before the end of August, and although lie declares that this is contingent on the good behaviour of the House of Representatives, lie is unlikely to allow his plans to be disturbed. A curious contrast is presented in Mr. Massey’s reticence concerning the details of the policies lie proposes to support at the Imperial Conference, with the .Australian Prime Minister’s candour on the subject. It is difficult to believe that the New Zealand leader’s attitude is not the more correct. Air. Bruce complained that Ids Minist rv did not receive information of foreign policy decisions sufficiently carld, ami if this grievance is well-founded remedy snould be easy. He suggests the presence in London of a member of the Fed-* oral Ministry and some Australian staff at the Foreign Office. Thai is a matter for A list ralia. as it is unlikely that the Imperial authorities would raise any objection. Some of tin* Australian taxpayers, howoxer, must wonder when this exo,|u.: Loiidmi will end. Willi the

High Commissioner, six Agents General, ami innumerable lesser officials already permanently stationed in London, Australian interests should be amply safeguarded. and reorganisation rather than increase of representation would prove more economical and perhaps more efficient. Mr. Bruce is anxious—as well he may be—about the defence of Australia, and he proposes a conference of Pacific nations to discuss the armament question. Exactly what he would term a “Pacific” nation, he did not state. There is but one Power regarded as a possible foe to Australia, and it is unlikely that Japan would go further at a Bruce-convened gathering than it did at Washington, at least, for the next few years. Australia’s best peace-preservation policy is closer settlement, decentralisation and largely increased population. These form far more difficult a task than the holding of a disarmament conference, but the practical results would be proportionately generous. Mr. Bruce also had something to say about Empire trade. Everybody at Home and overseas should share his desire to develop trade within the Empire, but this will be best furthered by early realisation that mutual sacrifices will be essential. Mr. Bruce’s comments followed familiar lines, inferentially suggesting that Britain gets all the best of the present trading arrangements. A semi-threat is given that if more preference is not shown to Australian produce, the Commonwealth will place her orders in countries other than the Homeland. Overseas statesmen must realise that the people of Britain are not yet converted to the desirability of increased tariff duties on food, and that the preference given to Bri-tish-made goods does not equal the open door given by Britain to overseas produce. Britain is Australia’s largest customer, and Mr. Bruce would find it difficult to say where the Commonwealth primary products could find a better market than the Homeland. Australia, like other overseas lands, would find "that lessened purchases from Britain would mean similarly decreased purchases by her. It is time the attitude was dropped when discussing Empire trade that all the favours are obtained by the Mother Country.’ The Imperial conference will not have the

hoped-for results if a sense of proportion is not maintained by the visiting delegates. The Empire, as a whole, is still based on Britain, and it would be interesting to know what, say, Canada, South Africa, and other prominent Dominions think o 4? the Australian claim that “the heart of the Empire is in the Pacific.” Mr. Bruce’s speech savoured of playing to the gallery, and New Zealanders, for the most part, will probably prefer Mr. Massey’s saying too little beforehand, to the Federal Prime Minister’s somewhat blatant announcement of his intentions.