IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 739, 22 June 1923, Page 5

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

DOMINION’S REPRESENTATIVE. GOVERNMENT’S POSITION EXPLAINED. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 21. Dealing In the course of his speech in the House of Representatives to-night on the Addrcss-in-Roply debate with the question of the Imperial Conference, the Hon, W. Downic Stewart maintained that the. Prime Minister could not go Home with his hands tied. If this were done, be might just as well stay at home, because with limited powers he might find himself unable to take part in the many discussions which must naturally arise at such a gathering. It must be remembered that New Zealand would not be committed to anything the premier might agree to until it had been ratified by Parliament. It was not correct to say that the Premier would not take any instruction from Parliament. He would do so where that was possible, but it v*us impossible to tie the hands of the representative on all questions. Open diplomacy as advocated by the Labour Party was also not always practicable as had been more than once admitted by President Wilson, than whom there was no more strenuous opponent of secret diplomacy. If Mr Holland were himself in power to-morrow, and was going to such a conference, he would not expect to take detailed instructions on all questions from the House. Mr Holland: On front rank questions I. would. , ~ Continuing, the Hon. Stewart said that_ a certain amount of trust must be placed m die representative at the conference just as the constituencies placed trust in the members of the House. He felt that the right course was being followed by Rio Government in insisting that the Premier mus have to a certain extent a free hand and there was no need to four that ho would abuse the trust reposed, in him.

IMPERIAL PREFERENCE.

TRADE COMMISSIONER’S VIEW

Mil N. ELMS LIE’S COMMENTS.

Some of the dithculties in the way of Imperial preference being granted to New Zealand dairy produce in England were mentioned at last night’s smoko concert at the Showgrounds by Mr N. Finishes BnuMi Trade Commissioner, when responding 10 the toast of “The Visitors,” and replying to a question raised by Mr in J. Nathan. , , ~ With reference to the apparent prelerenco in the Dominion for machinery, other than that, manufactured in Britain, Mr Jumsho said: “I am anxious to get_ in touch with the consumers in nil industries in order to lind out just what your requirements are mid to ascertain what the British manufacturer must- do to adapt his goods to those requirements. Vi hen I return to England 1 want to be able to report to the manufacturers why you do not use their machinery and to show them where they have failed. This will bo rather a difficult task, as 1 have to get in touch with all trades . . , “With regard to Imperial preference, l cannot sav very numb about it, but the whole question will come before Hie Imperial Conference, in fact it will he one of the principal planks in the platform, and will bo thoroughly thrashed out. 1 behove that some way will be found at the conference to suit your wishes on the preference question, but T do not know whether there will bo an.V chance of your obtaining preference for dairy produce. There are so many (liflieulties in the way of this being done. British industry has been built up by cheap production, and any (ax on foodstuffs would Inrun that the cost of living would rise, and from what 1 know of England the country would not stand for it. You may rest assured, however, that the will to give you what you want is therOj and doubtless will Ik; given, short of taxation on footstulfs, of course.”