IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 6 November 1926, Page 5

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

MEAGRE OFFICIAL REPORTS. TRANK DISCUSSIONS OCCUR MISINTERPRETATIONS REMOVED. BT CABLE—PBESS ASSOCIATION LOPYBIGHi LONDON, Nov. 4. Only the most meagre official statements on the major issue continue to y be made by the conference spokesman, \ with the result that the space and prominence which the London press devotes to the conference is, with few exceptions, becoming daily less. It is understood that the attendant loss of public interest has not escaped the notice of the visiting Prime Ministers, and that the matter was mentioned across the conference table. Several questions before the committees have now reached the resolution stage, and the Dominion reresentatives are expecting that next week Mr Baldwin will permit fuller disclosures as the discussions are taken up at the plenary session. It is agreed in all Dominion circles that the discussions have •been far more frank and more intimate than at the 1923 conference, in fact, the. constitution of special committees by which controversial discussions aro carried on has completely changed the atmosphere of the conference. A noteworthy example of this is in the inter-imperial Relations Committee, which held two sessions to-day. The press is reliably informed that tlie last three days’ candid exchange of views disclose that on fundamentals there is no real point of divergence. Tin's is especially so on the complicated matter of treaty relations. One authority declares that 90 per cent of what was at first misinterpreted as conflict of ideals merely represents different ways of viewing things to which, on broad principles, everybody is sympathetic. The same remark apnlies to the whole range of Empire relationships. DINNER AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE. LONDON. Nov. 4. To-night’s dinner at Buckingham Palace' to the Imperial Conference delegates, though not ranking as a State banquet, but officially described as a dinner narty. was a brilliant function. Tt was felt that the State banquet ceremonial was too formal for an Empire family party, hence Court dress was'absent and frock dress worn. The King, Queen, Prince of Wales and other members of the Royal Family were present. Their Majesties welcomed the guests, numbon'ng 100. in the drawing room. MIGRATION AND SHIPPING. LONDON, Nov. 5. In connection with the Imperial Conference’s discussions on migration, the soundness of the possibility of partly training farm workers in the United Kingdom is being considered closely. The Imperial Shipping Committee is likely to get a new charter and he asked to report afresh on the acceleration of speed of vessels in the light of the new methods of propulsion evolved since 1923. One comment is that the committee’s present constitution tends to a conservative view on the question, of acceleration of speed. ACTIVITIES OF COMMITTEES. SHIPPING AND MIGRATION. LONDON. Nov. 4. The Imperial Conference is now getting the benefit of the practical results of the spadework. done by the committees during the week. The inter-Impcrial Relations Committee sat twice, hut contemplates further activities before reaching the report stage. The conference meets early to-mor-row to consider the reports of the Economic Committee on standardisation and cool storage. The Economic Committee further dealt with matters in connection with the Imperial Shipping Committee, whose valuable work during the past three years -was fully recognised. It will fall to the conference to decide what is to be the shipping committee’s future, and whether its constitution shall he changed into Canadian, Australian and New Zealand units. The committees on overseas settlement dealt at length with migration, settlement, cost of passages and assistance to women, with a view to future imnrovement in the existing systems. The Prime Ministers will nrobahly visit Glasgow on November 2-5 to receive the freedom of the city. They mav go to Ireland to receive similar civic honours.