Grey River Argus and Blackball news SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1923. THE DOMINION AND IMPERIAL POLICY.

Grey River Argus, 17 February 1923, Page 4

Grey River Argus and Blackball news

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1923. THE DOMINION AND IMPERIAL POLICY.

Delivered ever* me. ntnif in G.- •uth, E <■*, H .-kiiiKi ' • < Tayb . ,’U’v, Crcuauun. • -.<>c Creek, Brunner Te Kinf.h'- K- ■■ u-% Inchbonnie. PaUra, Ruru, Kjv ...ux. K- »L tna, Aratika, Bunansa, Dune !i •tiZlwaG' V\?.!ia. lb. on R<»ss, Ruat.-j ,ia, MaixsnuL ILri Han. Waihc c-orge, Wehc.ka, Rewanui, Otira. i»u.nKab.ua J.u . t.on, Westport Waimangaroa, Denniston Gianity Millerton '.kawau. Hectcti Sedd .iivil'.L- Fnnhvtnrt. jni Karame3

It has been a recognised tactic of the present. New Zealand Government to keep the people ignorant of the inner secrets of Imperial foreign policy. Canada, South Africa, and even Australia have asserted themselves in this regard for the past quarter of a century, but Mr Massey's Government has often been condemned by critics in other parts of the Empire for its silence in regard to secret imperialistic understandings. They have sought to excuse such a ruse by boasting how loyal this country is, and how well it responds to Lloyd Georgian appeals for troops to fight the Turks or any other race, whether for oil or lucre or any-

thing else. The British public kick<-l , Lloyd George out of office for his last exploit in this regard, an exploit in which Air Massey was prepared to sacrifice any number of young New Zealanders. Even Air AV. AL Hughes took up a critical attitude ot that appeal lor troops, whilst Canada and South I Africa w< i re frankly suspicious about I it. The British electors recently re-! turned Mr Alorel and other mon to Parliament upon the strength of 'their consistent advocacy of democratic control of foreign policy. But when we come to consider the professions of New Zealand Tory Alinisters we find nothing but hide-bound reaction and decadent conservatism. Thus, Sir Francis Bell candidly told the somnolent • hauibor the- other day that New Zealand has no right to a voice in the direction of British foreign policy, and must depend upoil the British Foreign Office wholly and solely. He said he would like members to understand that he had never said that New Zealand was entitled to a voice in foreign affairs other than as a very small fraction of our Empire. In regard to the largest functions of the League, he hud never raised his voice in the Assembly except so fur as words were spoken with their assent by the representatives of Great Britain. England was a European Power,- the Empire was a Pad lie and Asiatic Power. Doubtless in matters concerning the Pacific the authorities of the I'hiipiie who were in I.on don would consult those intercstc<l. 'There was one Government of the Emt pire and that was the Government of England in its relation to Foreign ; Powers. There we have it, the Eng- | lish Government has a complete monoi poly of the control of Imperial foreign policy—and all the talk of a monwealth of free nations is in the estimation of Sir F. Bell merely twaddle. He draws an imaginary line between matters that directly concern particular dominions and matters ol wider scope, in which the dominion?have veritably no say. If it is a question of the Samoan mandate, we may back up the Imperial policy; but if it is a matter of sending New Zealanders across the globe to fight other nations we have no choice but to do—and tc die—as we are told. If there are poll tical enemies of the Empire anywhere w-e fancy they’- are the politicians whe lay down such a doctrine as this. Lt means perpetuating a wicked old tra dition, placing at the disposal of f handful of men representing a ruling social class the lives of many millior men in all parts of the Empire. The Foreign Office and the diplomatic corps are composed of aristocrats, who an really responsible to nobody but the upper" class, by whom they arc so lected for their very peculiar and mys terious occupation. The matter tha' prompted Sir F. Bell to be so candic was the consideration of a propose that New Zealand should have in Lon don a representative entitled tospealfor the Dominion Government. H-( pooh-poohed the very idea. AVe art very small spuds indeed!