BRITISH EMPIRE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 273, 17 October 1927, Page 7

BRITISH EMPIRE

IMPORTANCE OF UNITY. COMMON INTERESTS BASIS. STATEMENT BY MR AMERY. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received October 17 11.5 a.m. BERTH, Oct. 17. Responding to a civic welcome, Mr L. C. Amery said that the British Empire to-day was based on free co-opera-tion. They had learned how they could not only make good from lessons, but also build up greater prosperity and a greater future for their own day and for their children’s time by working together, which was tho lesson that mattered most in the years ahead. Each part of the Empire had its own difficulties, but by working together each could help with the other’s difficulties, and increase the other’s opportunities. That was really the meaning of that partnership, that brotherhood which they called the British Empire. Tho British Empire could succeed only in one way, and that would be il those responsible for Government took an interest in the Empire and every opportunity of meeting others from different parts of tile Empire engaged in the same work. It was only when they met face to face that they became really conscious of their own common unity and the smallness of the differences which at first seemed such formidable obstacles to unity and co-operation. Referring at the Parliamentary luncheon to last year’s Imperial Conference, Mr Amery said that in one sense tho conference produced no results which could not have been forseen by the trend of British freedom, but it mado the situation clear not only to the Empire, but also to the whole world. Tho Empire was based not on any subordination to a central authority, but on full co-ordination on tho basis of the recognition of common interests, common beliefs, and a common faith in the future. The Dominions were more than mere independent nations. There wore socalled independent nations in Europe, but they were Imperial nations. I'or Australia it was her Empire just as much as it was Britain’s; for her it was an enlargement of opportunities, an achievement of natural life and an increase in status and moral responsibilities. It was a partnership of cooperation in freedom, but a freedom of common interest and common aims. Freedom was Australia’s birthright and unity was the moral law which directed that freedom.—Press Association.