IMPERIAL POLICY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1037, 9 June 1924, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLICY.

IMPORTANCE OF DOMINIONS. Received June 9, 8.5 a.m. LOS DON, June 8. The Sunday Times's political correspondent draws attention to a passage in Mr Lloyd George's speech in the House of Commons on Friday, when he said he anticipated that within a lifetime the Dominions' populations would be 100 millions instead of 16 millions. He proceeded to emphasise the importance of knitting the Empire by consultation and common action. The correspondent comments: "It will not be surprising if Mr Lloyd George regards the Imperial preference proposals, which will be debated on June 18, as entitled to sympathetic consideration. The story that Mr Baldwin's supporters precipitated the last election because they discovered that Mr Lloyd George was prepared to take a leaf out of the late Mr Joseph Chamberlain's book had this much truth that, during his visit to Cawda, Mr Lloyd George discussed preference fully with leading men."—A. and N.Z. cable. MACHINERY REQUIRED. PRIME MINISTER'S STATEMENT. LONDON. June 6. In the House of Commons, in the course of the debate on the Lausanne Treaty, Sir E. Grigg denounced the omission of the late Government to send separate plenipotentiaries to Lausanne. The result, he said, was that the Lausanne treaty was only a peace treaty not signed by the whole of the Empire. Mr Mat-Donald said in regard to procedure that in future the Government stood by the resolution of the last Imperial Conference that the Dominions interested should be informed before treaty negotiations were opened, anfl where their interests were directly concerned they should be represented. So far- as he was concerned, that resolution would always be put into operation. He expressed the opinion that the time had come when we must consider what machinery was required to be created to conduct a united Imperial policy, particularly in regard to foreign affairs. — Reuter. ANOTHER CONFERENCE. LONDON, June 6. ' The newspapers interpret Mr MaeDonaid's statement in the House of Commons on the Lausanne Treaty as foreshadowing a further conference with the Dominions to lay down future procedure. Mr MacDonald remarked that the Colonial Conference sent out a weekly cablegram to Australia, New Zesland, Canada, . and South Africa, outlining foreign events. Naturally, the Dominion Ministers begin to express opinions on these, but opinions expressed at the end of long cablegrams were not negotiations. The question had arisen whether it was possible or necessary to supplement them by creating contact which came nearer to a share of obligations and removed misunderstanding.—A. and N.Z. cable.