CONFERENCE OPENED

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 October 1930, Page 5

CONFERENCE OPENED

ABSENCE OF CEREMONIAL

THE KING’S GOOD WISHES

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(Recd. Oct. ?, 11 a.m.) LONDON, October 1.

Shorn of the glamour of a ceremonial opening, the Imperial c ° nl once assembled at 10 o’clock at Locarno Room of the Foreign Office, almost unnoticed, as far as the pub io were concerned, and for six week the only link with the public will be the formal daily press communiques, and perhaps an occasional talk by Mr Thomas. if the Conference to-day agrees to his proposal that he should be the Press liason officei. Each delegate arrived in a State limousine provided by the British Government, each beatring the silken flag of its country. Talkies and cameras buzzed. The delegations then went to the Locarno Room, where the tables were arranged in a hollow square. Mr MacDonald had Mr Scullin on his right and Mr Forbes on his left.

Mr MacDonald made the opening speech, followed by Messrs Bennett, Scullin, Forbes, Hertzog and others. Tho proceedings of the Conference opened with Mr Bennett proposing and Mr Scullin seconding, that Mr MacDonald should be chairman. Mr MacDonald moved and Mr Hertzog, as the only Prime Minister present in 192 G, seconded that the Conference’s first official act was to desire to present a respectful duty to His Majesty, joining thankfulness for His Majesty's restoration to health and earnestly hope Their Majesties will be spared many years to inspire the feelings of love and affection which unite all tho Britishers under the Crown. His Majesty’s reply was read to the Conference. It sincerely thanked the Conference on behalf of himself and Queen: “I am especially touched with the kind allusions to my restoration to health. Realising the all-im-portant questions that will be considered, 1 shall follow with close attention the progress of the deliberations.”

The Conference paid a tribute to the memory of Earl Balfour, Mr O’Higgins, Sir J. Ward, General Howse, and Earl Birkenhead. It was agreed to establish a General Economic Committee of Experts to which the more, detailed technical economic subjects will be referred. The Conference met for the first time in the afternoon to arrange procedure, and agreed to the special arrangements made for the representation .of Southern Rhodesia on the Committee dealing with the questions affecting Southern Rhodesia.

SPEECHES SUMMARISED,

The speeches which followed Mr MacDonald’s emphasised Mr MacDonald's suggestion that the problems before the Conference, however difficult, should be solved in accordance with free association chdi' acterised by the unity of the British Commonwealth.

The official spokesman, summarising the speeches, said they stressed that complete freedom was in nowise inconsistent with complete unity. Economically, each unit would have regard for its own special circumstances, while aiming for the good of the Empire as a whole. Mr MacDonald, who welcomed the delegates, said the Conference had-to consider the three main aspects of the problems of common concern; firstly, political constitutional relations, on which the general principles were laid down and accepted by all in 1926. Secondly, the question concerning relations with foreign Powers, particularly how the Empire’s combined influence could forward the work of disarmament and the establishment of machinery for a peaceful settlement of disputes between nations. Thirdly, the acute trade depression from which the whole world including ourselves, was suffering, making them give special attention to the problem of their own economic relations, remembering each’s contracts with other nations. They would nevertheless lend their energies in devising a practical economic means of helping each other to make as gitiat contribution as they could to the solutio nthereof. It was their task. If they succeeded, it would be because they had confidence in each other, inspired by the spirit of free discussion which characterised their union.

ECONOMIC <JO-OPERATION

Mr Scullin said our success will be judged by the progress we achieve towards Empire economic co-operation. The instinct of our peoples is wholly right. Better ordering of our production, both agriculture and industry, and our trade, has become a matter of vital urgency in Australia, as in Britain. Unemployment is consequent, at least in part, on world-wide depression, and has become a matter of the gravest concern. The lack of markets is prejudicing the welfare of millions of our people. The Empire could supply all its agricultural products, and all but a few of its mineral products. Wo can guarantee one another markets for most, commodities, capable of absorbing a far greater volume of production. Britain's agricultural imports exceed seven hundred and fifty millions sterling, whereof thirty-seven per cent are of Empire origin. If the Governments of the Empire decide upon a definite forward policy of economic co-operation, the Commonwealth will do its part.

MR. FORBES’ APPEAL

Mr. Forbes’ speech, at the opening of the Conference, acknowledging Mr. MacDonald’s welcome, regretted that Sir Joseph Ward had not lived to attend the Conference, which was deprived of his wisdom and lengthy experience. “We meet here in circumstances, in one sense encouraging, and m another, depressing. The international situation has now greatly improved and there is increasing strength in the movement towards peace and disarmament. This may well give cause for gratification. On the other hand, we are facing a period of serious economic depression. I earnestly trust that the deliberations of this Conference will result in measures which will assist in alleviat-

ing the position. A great deal is expected from this Conference with reference to economic subjects and failure on our part to agree upon a concrete effective policy for the common benefit, will cause great, disappointment through- 1 out the Empire. New Zealand is not concerned greatly in the recent developments of the constitutional relations between members of Empire. Wo have felt always, that within recent years, we have had ample scope for national aspirations, and ample freedom to carry them out entirely. We value the close connections with the United Kingdom, and sister Dominions. We would have been well content to allow the constitutional relationships to settle themselves in accordance with the necessity of the position and requirements of the time, but we recognise the considerations applicable to one Dominion are not necessarily applicable to all. It may be hoped that all questions regarding status will be settled finally at this conference. In the commonwealth of six equal partners, differing markedly in history, internal organisation, industrial development, economic orientation, and centrifugal influence, there must be a tendency for a weakening of our association in the absence of some effective means of evolving a common policy of action. He and his colleagues were of the opinion that the outstanding problem was. at the moment, the achievement of common understanding and common policy. To this their efforts would be mainly directed, hoping that the Governments represented would find it possible to divert attention from status to co-operation.

GENERAL HERTZOG.

LONDON, October 1.

General Hertzog said: -I am fully conscious of the very important functions of the Conference, and believe that it will finally adjust the outstanding constitutional questions, arising from the 1926 decision, which must be formally sanctioned and considered in detail.” Referring to the economic policy, General Hertzog added that South Africa viewed with concern Britain’s prospective abolition of the existing tariff benefits. Britain’s position as a great commonwealth market for Dominion products, must necessarily, in tho event of ner deciding to change the existing policy, be detrimental to the Dominions’ interests, and exercise a determining influence upon their policy. It is therefore clear that the Dominions’ eventual course must mainly depend upon the manner and extent to which their interests will be affected by Britain’s policy. “I hope,” he said, “that in no case will tho conference despair of arriving at a solution which will prevent the evil effects of a change of policy assuming tho character of a disaster to those who, believing in tho stability of inter-Commonwealth economic relations, have been induced in good faith to make investments on the basis of that belief.”

MR FORBES IMPRESSED.

LONDON, October 1.

“What I welcomed most at the opening session of my first Imperiatl Conference was the emphasis which practically all the speakers gave to economic problems,” declared Mr Forbes. “Though the actual proceedings were formal, all the Prime Ministers simply reading their speeches, the surroundings of the historic room lent dignity and impressiveness to the occasion. One could not but be impressed with the fact that the delegates, though nearly all strangers to one another and to the Imperial Conference, represent a large proportion of the world’s population.” Mr Forbes added: . “We have met wtih high hopes of and determination that in this time of world-wide economic depression wo will reach definite practical achievements for the benefit of the whole population of the Empire. We shall bo most disappointed if wo do not register real economic progress.”

MR. MacDONALD’S BROADCAST

(Recd. October 2, 2.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 1.

“I should like to make this conference another turning point in our history,” said Mr MacDonald in a broadcasting speech throughout the country. “We have been suffering from a bad bout of pessimism. The growing weekly figures of unemployment have been serious enough, but they do not truly indicate unemployment, as understood a few years ago. It had a bad effect, depressing us, hiding us in a cloud to the rest of the world. This must be stopped. Our weakness lies in our psychology more than our skill, materials, resources and opportunities. We need a renewal of will that the Empire is waxing, not waning. The present generation must add to its honour. The value of trade will not keep inter-Empire affections vital, but vital affection must keep our trade ample. Economic interests are often conflicting and not easy to harmonise. Many of the schemes discussed in the Press would break down in six months. They would not enrich the Empire’s peoples permanently, either in trade or in reputation. The conference opens amid a disquieting outlook, but the British genius is at. its best when difficulties are greatest. On the very magnitude of problems we are facing, I build a good hope of overcoming them.”

NOTABLE DINNERS

(Received October 2, S a.m.) LONDON, October 1

Mr Bennett has arrived from Canada. He joined his fellow Premiers at the Government's dinner to the Imperial Conference delegates at Lancaster House. The company numbered SO. Foreign wines and other produce were used. At the Empire Marketing Board’s dinner, the latter will use Empire products. Mr Scullin sat between Mr MacDonald and Mr Thomas and later had talks with Mr Neville Chamberlain, Mr Amery, Sir Basil Blackett and others.

Meanwhile, Miss Ishbel MacDonald gave a dinner to the Conference women folk at Downing Street, including Mrs Scullin, Lady Garran, and Mrs Forbes, While Mrs Thomas gave dinner to others at Admiralty House, including Mrs Moloney. All the Dominions were strongly represented.

There were thousands of guests at Lancaster House after the dinners.