PROBLEMS OF EMPIRE

Hawera Star, Volume L, 24 October 1930, Page 5

PROBLEMS OF EMPIRE

ECONOMIC NEEDS INVOLVED TRADE ISSUE SOUTH AFRICAN’S YTFAY. (British Official Wireless.; RUGBY, Oct. 22. General Hertzog. Prime Minister of South Africa, broadcasting on the; work or the Imperial Conference, said although the work 'being done in the field - r - economic co-operation was attracting much notice, other work of the , er.v greatest importance and significance was also being accomplished and problems were being resolved. The constitutional questions bequeathed by the 1926 Imperial Conference were, being •salt with in a manner and spirit which entitled the delegates to feel confidenoo that the .present Imperial Conference would in every respect remain Line to the spirit of its predecessor and attain no less happy results for the tore. Whereas at the previous conference the constitutional needs of the British Commonwealth demanded reacl- ■ ustment. at the*.present conference it was readjustment of economic problems —Great Britain’s fiscal policy in harmony with the economic needs of the various member States, lierself in- , ciuded —that was involved. ( "the new problem was certainly no difficult in solving. If, therefore, !'•(. present conference should eventiially prove less fruitful in its economic labours than individual requirements led them to hope, it should not be forgotten that what Avas expected from Great Britain in order to meet the Dominions’ requirements and also her own AA'as hardly less than a revolution ■ n fiscal practice no less than m economic theory. Should she, therefoie, •ell them that change invovirm such fnudnmeyital national issues could not be decided until after close and mature on its i deration. Sontli Africa* could hn.ve no reason to complain. It must be clear to everybody that the conflict between free trade and protection for Great Britain had to be decided Upon the work of Mr. W. Graham’s . committee virtually depends the success or failure of preferential trade, which is the major issue in the- minds of the Dominion delegates. They have exhausted every line of argument anti every inducement to clinch the exist--•ig preferences and gain others, drawing faint encouragement from Mr. MacDonald’s assurance that the door is still open, though in the estimation ot the Australians the light coming through is a mere pin-point ray. “I am no flag-wagger, nevertheless, ' strongly believe in the unity of the British Commonwealth of Nations, said Mr. J. 11. Sculfin, Prime Minister of Australia, addressing the National Trade Union Club, “I come to the Imperial Conference representing a, nation, not a political party . Ido not come to dictate, to tell Britons flier must change their methods because thev are different from ours, bu-u n lv chief'object is to knit closer the bonds of friendship and sympathy, i believe we could come close it along trade lines, finding markets for each other’s manufactures.” Mr Scullin added that he had been an~ onlooker from afar at European moA'ements. “I have not always lelt Britain’s or foreigners’ diplomacy Avas right but I felt Britain stood higher in the estimation of the people throughout the Avorld than ever oAvmg to- the Labour Government’s Avonderiul lead tOAvards disarmament and Avorld nonce ” It was the most .genuine move i , British historv. wherefore lie raised hat. to Mr. MacDonald and his colleagues.

WORK OF THE: COMMITTEES:

SUBJECTS TREATED IN DETAIL

(British Official Wireless ' RUGBY. Oct. 22

Manof the numerous subjects on agenda of the Imperial Conference are now being dealt Avith by committed formed to examine them in detail. The next meeting of the heads of deSe•ntions will be held Avhen the reports are available for their consideration, and this is unlikely to be the case be-"-■••e next week.

Today the committee on economic co-operation had a> general preliminary discussion on the work of the Em- ■ ire Marketing Board with a, view to making suggestions regarding its future ■development. . \ sub-committee is engaged m the examination of statistics regarding the T'nited Kingdom’s wheat consumption and wheat production within the Bm--01 The arbitration and disarmament committee concluded its discussions ot fgeneral facts and although the discussions of the actual draft convention remains to be concluded, the committee hopes to finish the subjects, before it by the week-end and to begin ’•e preparation of the report. \ branch of the inter-Imperml relations committee was engaged on the ouie.stion of merchant shipping lepislat,oThe Overseas Settlement Committee held its first meeting this afternoon. when it heard depressing stories o c ah the Dominions’ inability, otving the economic stress, to open their ('n-irs to British migrants.