Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1939. EMPIRE UNITY.

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 March 1939, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1939. EMPIRE UNITY.

piRST Hi gli Commissioner to represent the United Kingdom in New Zealand. Sir 11. Batterbee was fittingly welcomed, on his arrival at Auckland, yesterday,

and there seems to be no doubt that he is capable of carrying out the important responsibilities attached 1o Iris position. Ilis previous visits to (he Dominion have already made him more or Jess familiar with the scene of his labours, and he struck the right note when lie expressed his wish to meet all sections of Hit 1 people. Apart from Hie need for obtaining all-ronnd knowledge in his position, the High Commissioner evidently realises that the distinction as between the classes and the mass( i s, traditional in the Mother Country, would not be practicable

in a eomjiaratively-yonng, demo-

eratie Dominion. The appointment unquestionably adds to the prestige of New Zealand, and should lead Io mutual benefits. The importance of (dose and harmonious relationships between Britain and the units of the Empire, in existing circumstances, does not require cinphasis, and particularly is this the ease where New Zealand is concerned. Sir 11. Batterbee lias defined bis task as High Commissioner as being the inter-

pretation of Hie views of one Government to the other; but that portion of his duties may not be so easy as he expects. Evidence has not been lacking recently, to show that some of the actions of the New Zealand Government are regarded with suspicion. There is need for an excellent interpreter. Speaking as the representative of the Government, Mr. \V. 'l'. .Anderton, M.P., expressed the

opinion that the best way of negotiation consisted of heart-to-heart talks around the conference table. Presumably, his remark covers the relations of all parts of the Empire, with Britain. An opposite view is held, however, by Mr. Ernest Bovin, secretary of lhe Transport and General Workers’ Union, who recently visited New Zealand. He declared, on his return to London, that the Imperial Conference method was out of

date, as it savoured too much of Imperialism and the old colonial outlook. He urged that an Assembly of lhe British Commonwealth should be created, and that the relationships between these independent States and the Mother Country should be worked out by that Assembly. This, Mr. Bevin claimed, would be far more satisfactory than the present improvised methods. He suggested that the Assembly should be constituted from the principal parties of each Slate, so that its conclusions would represent a continuity both in internal and external affairs, and would not be subject to the upsets caused by political changes in either one or other of the equal States, as might otherwise be the case. There is much to be said in favour of Mri Bhvin’s contention, and it may be recalled that a similar idea was adopted by Mr. Roosevelt, when he secured representation for both parties, in the United States delegation to the recent Lima Conference. With their growing prestige, the Dominions incur increased responsibility, and the days have passed when the obligation for the defence of the British Commonwealth rested solely upon Britain. Even now, it is doubtful

v, diet her the tremendous responsibility which rests upon her, in connection with the defence of the Empire, is fully realised by the Dominions, although the details given regarding what have x been termed by foreign critics the “astronomical” estimates, should give some idea of the task involved. It is necessary that the peoples of the Empire should know and understand what reciprocal arrangements and commitments they are called upon to enter into, and this requires the adoption of new methods. One criticism of Imperial Conferences, made by Mr. Devin, is that the proceedings at such gatherings are characterised by too much scerec v.