DELEGATES WELCOMED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 229, 26 August 1938, Page 8

DELEGATES WELCOMED.

government reception

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Aug. 25,

Parliamentarians and prominent citizens of Wellington met the British, Irish and Canadian delegates to the British Commonwealth Relations Conference in Australia, this morning, and expressions of goodwill and appreciation of Empire relations were exclianged. » Hon. P. Fraser (Minister of Education) apologised for the absence of Mr Savage (Prime Minister) and welcomed the visitors on behalf of the Government. He stressed the need for the British Commonwealth in an unsettled world, and said that the excellent relation’s between Britain and the United States had also helped towards stability. He considered the. British Comni'onwealth and America could make democracies safe. . Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, speaking on behalf of the Opposition, said that all realised how necessary was a united front at the present time. Sir Apirana Ngata welcomed ‘ the delegates on behalf of the Maori race, and referred to the attitude of the rest of the world to Britain, who was called “an old retired burglar.” The Maoris were extremely thankful that they were under the British flag instead of anv other flag. Sir John Pratt (Britain) expressed pleasure at the hospitality of the New Zealanders, and said that lie was sure the English-speaking peoples had a deep desire to see fair olav for everyone. He was impressed, he said, by the fact that the people of New Zealand were trying to arrive at new world order. He believed that that order would he reached, and that the idealism in the minds of the New Zealand people would guide the counsels of their Government.

Mr John O’Farrell (Eire) also thanked the Government for its welcome and made humorous reference to the way his country had become a free part of the Commonwealth after 700 years.