MORE SOLID EMPIRE

Grey River Argus, 2 February 1944, Page 5

MORE SOLID EMPIRE

CANADA’ PREMIER Against Halifax-Smuts Idea [Aus. & N.Z. Press Assn.] (Rec. 9.50.) OTTAWA, Jan. 31. Mr. MacKenzie King, Prime Minister of Canada, in the House of Commons, declared that he did not favour either the proposals of General Snluts or Lord Halifax that the British Empire should form a solid group of nations. Mr. MacKenzie King said that rather than that he supported close collaboration with all of the nations that were seeking 1 peace and' not only those inside of i the British Commonwealth. Replying to questions, Mr. MacKenzie King said that he was not able to interpret the views which Lord Halifax expressed in. his recent speech at Toronto. “I think,” he | said “that Lord Halifax was speaking only for himself. I have been informed that he was not making any pronouncement on behalf of the British Government. In some respects. his speech has not been understood as Loi’d Halifax would have liked it io be understood. Lord Halifax wanted to bring before the public certain thoughts which it would be well for us all to consider, but I think that it was unfortunate that the speech should have been made at this particular time.” . “The Government does not intend to be interrupted by a general election in wartime.” said Mr. MacKenzie King, in the Canadian House of Commons. Fie desired to stay in his post until the war was won. He s.aid that Parliament could carry on, under statutory limitations, until June, 1945. The Government was opposed to Parliament extending its life beyond the statutory term, unless circumstances were extreme. Earlier, Mr. Gordon Graydon, the Progressive Conservative Leader, moved an amendment to the Address-in-Reply, protesting against grave omissions from the Government’s social security programme. In particular, Mr. Graydon complained that the Government has failed to make adequate provision for the armed forces. Mr. Graydon said that the Government’s social security proposals, as outlined in the GoVbrnorGeneral’s speech, represented a deathbed repentance. (Rec. 11.50.) TORONTO, Feb. 1. Mr MacKenzie King said: “Behind ' the conception expressed by General Smuts and Lord Halifax there lurks the idea of an inevitable rivalry between the great Powers Mr. MacKenzie King asked: “Could Canada, situated geographically between the United States and the Soviet Union, and at the same time a member of the British Commonwealth, for 'one moment support such an idea ?” N.S.W. BANKER’S IDEA. AUCKLAND Feb 1. Sir Alfred Davidson, the Australian banker, who is starting a New Zealand tour, urged the establishment immediately after the war of an Empire Parliament to direct defence and other policies of common interest. The foundations for such valuable edifice had been provided bv the recent pact between Australia and New Zealand and he felt that the people of both countries should carry the idea further by an . approach to Great Britain. He visualised something akin to the Imperial Council of State and the Parliament of Defence proposed by the late Sir Joseph Ward, when he was Prime Minister of New Zealand, in 1911. At first the people ofjtfjie Empire should not be tied reMßg details, but broad issues shouWme considered. The doors should be left, wide open not only for the other Dominions, but also for foreign countries . experienced in democracy to come into this Emnire Parliament. But the original responsibility in movement must now be accepted h’ 0 ’ New Zealand and Australia. The need of accepting this responsibility has been emphasised in a most spectacular manner in the progress ana ■development of the present war. The two Dominions must occupy in the Pacific a position analagous to that which the Mother Country had willingly assumed in the Atlantic find Eurone. Canada, and South Africa, because of their own problems might wish to have somewhat, longer to deliberate on this Parliament.