Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. MONDAY, JUNE 27th., 1932. OTTAWA DELEGATION.

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 June 1932, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. MONDAY, JUNE 27th., 1932. OTTAWA DELEGATION.

WHATEVER opinions may be as to the action of Mr. Coates in t going to Ottawa, now that he is leaving as head of the New Zealand delegation, it is proper to extend to him and his party, best wishes for a comfortable trip and a successful mission. Mr. Coates, in his “farewell” speech at Weilington, on Saturday, was platitudinous, his comments being qualified by ifs, and his moralising being of that type of which ihe whole Empire has been, surfeited, during the past month or two. New Zealand has got over its first flowery expectations from Ottawa, and needs no Ministep to inform it that the forthcoming conference is unlikely to bring about a commercial million ium.

Nor will Ml Coates be blamed personally, if New Zealand’s share of the fruits of the final arrangements does not make a record harvest. His recent home record is not such as to induce his country,mcn to acclaim him, nowadays, as the man who gets things done. There is general disappointment with his handling of the unemployment relief scheme, . to mention but one of his failures. It is realised, here, that, the New Zealand mission is unlikely to be able to sway the destinies of the Conference, although perhaps future

cablegrams from Ottawa may be worded as to infer that next to Australia, New Zealand had the deciding voice. “Official” messages, if any, will not lack optimism, nor appreciation of .the efforts of New Zealand’s delegates, but readers should not overlook that similar messages are being sent to most of the other countries represented.

A somewhat blatant note has already been struck by Mr. Bruce, head of the Australians attending Ottawa, and as the New Zealanders will be travelling to Vancouver on the same ship, it may be that Australian influence will be brought to bear on Messrs Coates and Stewart, to adopt a “strong” line towards Britain’s demands for more scope for her manufactures. In that way, lies failure. Britain is not being represented by men prepared to 'give all for nothing, in the name of Empire unity, and already it is clear that earlier Overseas views as to reciprocity will have to be revised. So will some of. the former expectations about the advantages of preference. Britain has been placing import duties during late months, on foreign produce, but the effect has not been as expected. Empire products have not captured former “foreign”, business, nor have prices received respectively, relatively changed much. Ottawa.will dispel many illusions, and meanwhile, Overseas people should take reasonable views, of the trade possibilities, between Empire countries. Ottawa will be but a chapter, in Empire commercial annals, and far from the final one.