EMPIRE PROBLEMS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 249, 18 September 1933, Page 7

EMPIRE PROBLEMS.

SECRETARIAT ESTABLISHMENT,

TORONTO, Sept. 15

The Australian delegates at the British Commonwealth Relations' Conference to-day introduced the question of the creation of an intra-Empire Secretariat with offices in London to handle all foreign relations question between Britain and the Dominions. Delegates pointed out that while they favoured such an agency to act as an Empire Foreign Office, they did not represent the unanimous viewpoint of their countries. After considerable debate it was revealed that practically all groups of the conference considered that the plan was not feasible. It was contended that there was danger in creating such a body, because once it was in existence there was a possibility that the resident agents would be looking around for things to do, which would be undesirable.

Fears that the Empire might ho made an instrument for the perpetuation of the present economic system were voiced by a Canadian delegate of advanced political views, and drew from members of the British delegation the statement that, on the contrary, the close association of the nations in the Empire might well lead to closer co-operation between the radical political groups in the various Empire countries. The conference considered the positions of Governors-General in the new Empire constitutional scheme. General agreement was expressed that the instructions given to the GovernorGeneral of Canada, as drawn up for use prior to the time when the Dominions became equal partners with the United Kingdom, wore not only unnecessary but out of keeping with the new dignity attaching to the GovernorGeneral’s office. The Governor-General now stood in the same relation to’Parliament and the Government of Canada as did the King to Parliament and the Government of the United Kingdom.