New Zealand Supports Britain

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 249, 22 October 1935, Page 7

New Zealand Supports Britain

Government Consults Labour Party

MR COATES REVEALS RECENT HISTORY

Per Press Association. MASTERTON, Last Night. Facts not hitherto disclosed were made known by the Minister of Finance when ho was asked at his meeting how far New Zealand had gone in supporting tho United Kingdom in the present international crisis.

Mr Coates said New Zealand had autonomy in which she preserved her own identity. The decisions of the Imperial Conference of 192 G had given the Dominions equality though not necessarily equal status. Following on the AVar the League of Nations had been set up and New Zealand with the rest of tho Empire had tried to support tho League in. its present difficulties. The question was raised whether the League of Nations was to survive or they wore to revert to alliances, rearmament and the whole troublo over again. The United Kingdom had definitely given a lead to tho world in hor efforts to bring about disarmament. She had porhapH gone so far as to justify a certain amount of worry. The United Kingdom had given wholehearted support to tkoiirinoiples and Covenant of tho League of Nations in the present vrisis. New Zealand had agreed to certain of the sanctions decided upon by the League.

These had been agreed to after being considered in detail not only by the Government but by representatives of the Labour Party, Messrs Savage and Nash, whom the Government had taken into its closest confidence in this matter. It was felt that this was not a matter of party but one of our country. He was perhaps disclosing something he should not, hut tho Prime Minister and himself had conferred with Messrs Savage and Nash and had given these representatives of the Opposition complete information. They felt that this was a serious time and that it was only right that the representatives of the people not in the Government should be taken into their confidence. Thy had agred to sanctions and up to the present they had supported the United Kingdom 100 per cent.

As against the former conditions in which a lead from the United Kingdom was accepted as a matter of course, each step was now considered before being approved. Ho thought the public expected them to do that. He thought he was right in saying that tho Empire was wholly unanimous in supporting tho United Kingdom in its support of tho League of Nations.