N.Z. DINNER

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 June 1925, Page 3

N.Z. DINNER

NOTABLE SPEECHES. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, June 22. . At the New Zealanders’ annual dinner, the sequence of . which w.as interrupted since 1914, Sir Jas. Allen presided, and the guests included Mr Amery, Lord Jellxcoe. Lord Islington,' uord Ranfurly, Lord Liverpool, Lord Clarendon, Sir Thomas Parkinson, Mr W. Pember Reeves, and the other Dominion High Commissioners. Mr Coates cabled cordial greetings, adding: ‘’New Zealand stands foursquare with the Mother Country m all making for Empire Unity. It will be iny earnest effort to carry on the Imperial policy Mr Massey ardently followed. Lord Jelhcce, responding to the toast of his health, eulogised the Jate Mr Massey, and commended his straightforward honesty and simplicity oi life as an ..example for boys in New. Zealand. Lord Jeßicoe referred to his unforgettable time in New Zealand. He was (he siiid) telling every wretched Englishman that he did not know what sport, jvas until he had tackled the New Zealand trout and deer. His wife was worrying her friends, insisting that there was no butter like that of New Zealand, and no wool to prevent influenza like the New Zealand wool. He wished that New Zealand could absorb fifty times more immigrants, so as to enable more people to enjoy that wonderful country. The Secretary of State for the Dominions, Mr Amery, made important reference to the changes at the Colonial Office, which he described as ? a step towards a long-due,, and possibly an over-due change. There had been

a process of evolution since Mr A. Deakin’s resolution was submitted to the Imperial Conference in 1907, and reintroduced in 1911. It did not then meet with the support of the Colonial Office, and was not pressed. Since .then the case for a clear division as between the work of consultation of the Colonies had grown more pressing. The Government had gone beyond the 1911 resolution. It had established separate Secretaries for State, although it had vested them in the same person for the purposes of convenience. They might, m future, be held by separate persons, or by some other Minister, whose duties were not so heavy. He disagreed with the suggestion that the Departmental aspect of the Dominions’ work .should be added to the work of the already ' over-burdened Prime Minister. That suggestion would deprive thB latter of the assistance of a responsible Cabinet colleague who was able to keep Imperial issues effectively represented in Parliament, and in the Cabinet, and personally to conduct relationships with the Dominions’ representtatives. Mr Amery said that he hoped that when the change was effectively working, it would be possible fox’ him to visit Australia and New Zealand during 1926. He suggested that the Dominions would eventually follow suit, and would 1 delegate their Imperial relations to a special Minister. Referring to the difficulties in connection with adequate consultation, he pointed out that he had hoped for an Empire Conference on the Geneva Protocol, but difficulties had rendered it impossible. If problems could not be solved by personal consultation, they must be solved in the best way made possible by correspondence, the British Government taking suuh responsibility as it felt was its duty towards the Empire, after ascertaining as. far as possible, the views of every part of the Empire. If the present great opportunity for stabilising the peace of Europe slipped away > the Imperial Government would be responsible not only to the people of Britain, but of the whole Empire for the possible dangers and war difficulties. Mr Amery also paid a tribute to Mr Massey. He said that the latter was being succeeded by a statesman who could command the confidence of liis fellow countrymen in New Zealand.