EMPIRE AFFAIRS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 6 August 1924, Page 5

EMPIRE AFFAIRS

NEXT CONFERENCE. STATEMENT BY MR MASSEY. (BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 5. A statement relating to a conference of Imperial representatives which, according to cabled reports from London, is to be held in October, was made by the Prime Minister (Mr W. F. Massey) in response to questions asked in the House of Representatives this afternoon.

“During' the last week in June.” said M-r Massey, “I received a telegram through the Governor-General from Air Ramsay MacDonald (Premier of Britain). The message was a confidential one. Consequently I cannot, in the absence of the sender’s authority, quote its exact terms, but its general effect, according to the Press telegrams published recently, has been quoted bv Air J. H. Thomas (Secretary of State for the Colonies), and I feel at liberty, therefore, to amplify the particulars already published in his message to me, which "he stated was also being conveyed to the Prime Alinistei’s of the other self-governing Dominions.

“Mr MacDonald stated that he and his Cabinet colleagues were concerned as to the adequacy of the present system of consultation with the other selfgoverning parts of the Empire on r.-at-ters of foreign policy and "general Imperial interest. His Majesty’s Government, he said, fully accepted the principle of the necessity for effective arrangements for continuous consultation in all important matters of common Imperial concern, and for such necessary concerted action as the several Governments may determine: This is. in accordance with resolution 9 of the Imperial War Conference of 1917. His Alajesty’s Government, also realises that the action to be taken as the result of consultation, whether at or between Imperial Conferences, must he subject to the constitutional requirements of each country. “Air MacDonald then goes on to say that the. system of consultation ait present in practice has certain deficiencies. He quotes these at some length, and explores the general possibilities advanced for ensuring the object in view, none of which are, however, entirely free from objection. Finally, Mr AlacDonald adds that the feeling of himself and his colleagues is that the time has already come either to revive the idea of a constitutional conference or to call a meeting to consider the problems connected with the subject, but he says we should like these problems given preliminary examination in the near future, and it has occurred to. us that a possible method would be to have a meeting of representatives of each country concerned, who- have had experience of the constitutional working, to consider these problems and present a report as a basis of furthem discussion.

“Mr MacDonald asks how I should view this idea, and, if it commends itself, suggested that possibly October plight be a suitable time for such a big. In reply to this telegram, which I sent four days after it was received, I said that I fully appreciated the difficulties mentioned by Air MacDonald, and ouite agreed that the remedy was iiot easy .to find. A point of real importance was to ensure that nothing would be ;done in the direction, of weakening the unity of the Empire-.

“1 mentioned that it. would not be possible for me or any of nTy colleagues in the Cabinet to leave New Zealand for some time, but that I saw noi objection to the appointment- of a. small committee! to, carry out a preliminary examination pi this difficult subject, adding that if there was found to be R general desire for such an examination, it might be undertaken by men (not necessarily men in political life) from different parts of the Empire, who are well versed in constitutional law and procedure, and whose. reports could be considered by the various Governments before the meeting of the next Imperial Conference. “Since then I have heard nothing of the proposal, and no conference l , so”far as I know, has actually been tailed to consider the subject. The inquiry made by Air Ramsay AlacDonald • was as to what I .thought of the proposal lie made in the direction of arranging for a preliminary meeting of representatives to discuss the various aspects of the j.-ro-blein. 1 have never regarded' such a proposal as an invitation to me to attend another Imperial Conference m the ordinary meaning of che Venn next October, nor does <n. uppea- from Air Ramsay AlacDoitald’s telegram that the invitation was ‘ntended to convey such a meaning.” ! Air R. Ale-Keen (Wellington South) asked if the proposals give wider powers to the Dominions in the matter of foreign policy. Air Alassey said his statement oniy applied to what passed between Mr AlacDonald and himself. He did not know whether the Imperial Govern ment intended to go on with the conference.

“LEFT ALONE FOII THE PRESENT.” (By Telegraph.—Special to the Star.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 5. Following his official statement on the proposed preliminary inquiry into Imperial questions, Mr. Massey, who was further questioned in the House to-day, said he did not know whether the Imperial Government intended to go on with the preliminary inquiry, or whether they would leave' it alone for the present, which, lie thought, more likely. Mr. Milford: Did you get any request to send a New Zealand judge to act on the Irish boundary inquiry. Mr. Massey : That is a subject which requires to lie handled more carefully even than the Imperial Conference. No invitation has come to New Zealand. Mr. McKeen: These proposals were to give wider power to the Dominion in foreign affairs? The Premier replied that he could hardly give an answer right off to this question. The difficulties were greater than appeared on the surface, and although he could pick one or two .men from New Zealand who would do justice to the occasion, the question would have to be handled very carefully. “We are passing through difficult times,” added Mr. Massey, “and it would be the easiest thing in the woild to make matters worse than they are at present.” Mr. Wilford suggested that if a constitutional adviser was required he could be taken. Mr. Massey concurred, pointing out that the other Dominions followed this practice, though it meant great additional expense.