THE EMPIRE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 10 July 1924, Page 5

THE EMPIRE

SPEECH BY MR LLOYD GEORGE. TRIBUTE TO DOMINIONS. EY CABLE—PBESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. LONDON, July 9. Mr Lloyd George, speaking at Lord Beaverbrook’s dinner to Dominion .journalists, eloquently pictured the re sources of the Empire, the vastness of which, he said, staggered the imagination. The great essential was unity, which must not be made a question of race, party or creed. The present task, he said, was to find a basis covering the multitudinous interests and without which the Empire was not secure. The first step in that direction would be closer consultation and the second improved communications. No real progress had been made to. improve steamship intercourse, despite years of discussion. ‘‘Let us seek not to quarrel about the Empire,” lie added. “Quarrels impede progress. Let us seek unity as the Empire increases its bounds and becomes more and more democratic.” The press alone could make a democratic Empire possible and secure the triumph of a united Empire of free peoples, which would be the watch tower of a citadel of peace, liberty and fair play in the world. He paid a glowing tribute to the Dominions’ troops, in the war and said: “I sometimes tremblingly wonder what would have happened if a million of the world's bravest had not come from the Dominions to help us: I will never forget the spring of 1918, when the Australians, near Mayenc-e, broke the spear-head'which was being thrust into the heart of the British army.”