BONDS OF EMPIRE

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 29 July 1925, Page 5

BONDS OF EMPIRE

DRAWING THEM CLOSER. COMMUNICATION WITH THE DOMINIONS. BY CABIiE—vPEESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT, LONDON, July 27. In tlio House of Commons, Mr. L. C. M. S. Amery (Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs) introduced the Colonial Office estimates, which for tlie first time were described as “for the expenses of the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs.” After dwelling on the change in the Colonial Office organisation, Mr Amery paid a high tribute to the Prince of Wales in cementing the Empire. He referred to tlie wonderful reception accorded the Prince of Wales in the Dominions as evidence of their loyalty to the Crown and the Motherland. Mr. Amery gave, details of the scheme for ‘settling 450,000 assisted migrants fiom the United Kingdom to Australia in the next ten years. He said this shou.d mark the largest advance in Empiie settlement since tne passage of the Empire Settlement Act. Detailing the procedure of informing the Dominions, Mr, Amery said the information the British Govei nment at present circulated could advantageously be supplemented by information sent individually to each Dominion Government by some representative directly under orders of that Government, who would have full access to all souices of information and would know in what his Government was particularly interested. Australia, during the last hair-year, had, such a special liaison officer in England, who undoubtedly was very serviceable in keeping liis Prime Minister in touch with the progress of affairs. The Biitish Government was equally willing to accord the same facilities to the other Dominions. Asked whether the Australian representative had access to Cabinet papers, Mr Amery replied, that he had access to all confidential papers. He was regarded as the personal representative of tne Prime Minister of Australia, and in that capacity could see whatever the Prim e Minister of Australia himself might wish to see. Emphasising the development of telegraphic consultations with the Dominions, Mr. Amery said that in addition to a mass of information sent to the Dominions by every mail, over 120 telegrams, many of great length, were sent to the Dominions during the past eight months, the bulk of which were directly concerned with the protocol or the security of Europe. He proceeded to pay a tribute to the work of the Empire Parliamentary Association and the value of direct intercourse between Empiie Parliamentary repiesentatives. Mr. J. H. Thomas .(Labour), interrupting, asked whether, when it was necessary for Mr. Amery to summon the High Commissioners, the liaison officers would also attend. Mr. Amery replied that the liaison officers’ mission was to , deal with specific matters' of high policy communicated directly to the Dominions, but which, at any rate until the Dominion Governments decided otherwise, were not to be handled through the High Commissioners. Therefore the particular occasion which .Mr Thomas suggested had not yet arisen. But. valuable as this means of fill er information might be to a Dominion Government in the case of a relatively junior officer like a. liaison officer, the British Government was equally willing to extend the sam e principle, if desired, to such more senior authoritative 'representatives, whether the High Commissioners or otherwise, whom the Dominion Governments would care to appoint, not merely for the nurpose of securing first-hand information, hut a'so for the purpose of confidential consultation with tli e Brit. i«h Government on any matter on which their Government might wish to be advised or to have a diseussion.