DELICATE NATURE OF PRIME MINISTERS’ TASK

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 April 1949, Page 8

DELICATE NATURE OF PRIME MINISTERS’ TASK

LONDON, April 25. “Several versions of a formula by which India, as a sovereign independent republic, could retain her connexions with the Commonwealth, have been drafted for the Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ Conference,’ says the political correspondent of the Daily Mail. “In spite of the professed optimism of those participating in . the conference discussions, the delicate nature of their task weighs heavily unnn them. The King’s title cannot, in the last resort, be the subject of political bargaining, and the delegate:; fully realise this. Qne proposal is that, to include republics in the Commonwealth, the King should be known by those countries who choose as ‘the First Citizen.’ Those countries who wished would be free to retain the King’s title. The Australians and New Zealanders would apparently prefer that George VI should be known as King of Australia and King of New Zealand.” “The task of the Commonwealth Conference is peculiarly difficult, for any final agreement must be accepted not merely by all the Governments concerned, but also by their Oppositions,” says the Observer “The Commonwealth could hardly exist if its basis were the subject of heated party politics, and liable to be altered by changes of Governmeni. “It is particularly important in this country that the Conservatives should continue to give the Government tacit support on this issue, and not follow General Smuts’s example of making it a party matter. At the same time, it is unfortunate that none of the Prime Ministers has seen his way to introduce some form of bipartisan consultation with his Opposition about problems of such longterm significance.”