BIG NECESSITY

Hokitika Guardian, 30 November 1933, Page 6

BIG NECESSITY

FOR IMPERIAL CO-OPERATION

ADDRESS BY MR. BRUCE

(Per British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, November 28

Mr Stanley Bruce, speaking in London, expressed the-view that a strong resolute policy of imperial co-opera-tion at ' present was ..a paramount necessity. A start .towards such a policy was made at Ottawa. His complaint was that Ottawa had been treated -as an isolated incident, and not as the laying 'of a foundation upon Which could be built a great structure of inter-imperial trade. Britain, with a relatively large population, had valuable home market, great supplies of capital, and unrivalled experience. The Dominions and the despondent- Empire had resources, but had not the market or capital or- jexperiene© With a policy of financial and economic co-operation the British nation could face difficult conditions in the next few years with confidence.

He suggested the co-operating of a small group :of the best men available who, divorced from ail other interests and activities, could devote their whole time to the paramount Imperial problem.

Mr Biruce, in liis speech, said no one - would deny the necessity of cooperation, but tire public hitherto had assumed,’ as .they surely were entitled to do, that the . difficulties JlO had described had been foreseen and met; • and tbjnt British inter-depart-mental Cabinet Committees were studying the problems as a whole, and were working out a co-ordinated programme. It has been assumed, said Mr Bruce, that the British Government have a policy of economic reconstruction into which their agricultural schemes and the development of their export trade through their treaties with the : Dominions' had all been carefully fit- , ted. Here was a question as to their administrative machinery to which it should be easy to give 'a definite! answer, he added.