"GOING SOME."

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1923, Page 6

"GOING SOME."

MR MASSEY IN LONDON

CONFERENCES AND OTHER

MATTERS,

LONDON, October 18. If the Prime Minister was an exhausted man when he left New Zealand, it i.. probable he will be still more so wii. i he again takes ship for New Zealan . The pressure of work has been vc. ' great. Certainly London weather has been propitious and in that respect working conditions have not been as trying as they were in 1921, when the heat continued so oppressive. From the day the iwo Conferences opened, nearly tliree weeks ago, the sittings have been carried on virtually without intermission. Each morning or afternoon either the Imperial or the Economic Conference meets. The Prime Minister has attended all sittings. At the Economic Conference he has been supported by the Hon. ..Sir James Allen, who has given particular attention to certain subjects, particularly migration. The work of this Conference has been systematised by the setting up of committees of experts from various parts of the Empire to which are relegated for careful investigation and thrashing out, different subjects of the agenda. These committees then report to the full Economic Conference. So far the work has not gone beyond the committee stage. Some indication, however, has been supplied in the cabled summaries of progress of the discussions that have taken place in the committees, particularly in regard to mail matters, and shipping. The President of the Board of Trade presides at all these sittings. •

The Imperial Conference work, with the exception of the opening days when the British Prime Minister, and the various Prime Minister delegates

made their statements, has been conducted with the greatest secrecy. It has chiefly concerned foreign affairs, the present situation in Europe, and defence. Naturally the Press of London and even of America and France (through their London representatives) pursue a policy of very great kennness in their endeavours to penetrate beneath the veil. Mr Massey has had more than his share of attention in this respect, for though lie has an emphatic "will" or "won't" on such occasions he is undoubtedly a popular Overseas Prime Minister amongst English journalists, who never fail each day to "come round." Whether it is because sprats have been given to catch mackerels or from genuine growing interest in the Dominion and its affairs —which really is the

case —the fact remains very patent that the newsp; pers and magazines of Great Britain have never before acr cepted and presented the people of the Motherland with so much material regarding New Zealand as they have in the past three weeks. In addition to interviews granted, Mr Massey lias received and complied with no less than eighteen requests for special articles upon "New Zealand," "Imperial unity," and "The Bonds of Empire," from all classes and descriptions of magazines (including the Nineteenth Century) and newspapers. The Conference sittings open at 11 a.m., necessitating a start from the Hotel Cecil (where Mr Massey is again making his headquarters) at 10.45, as traffic difficulties are more accentuated in London than ever. The morning session usually lasts until considerably after 1 p.m. and then, after a hurried lunch, the delegates rush away to the afternoon meetings, which open at 2.30 or 2.40 o'clock and con tinue until 5.30 or 6 o'clock. In the evening there is generally a public dinner to attend, with a speech to deliver. With the important matters there arc before the Conference, and the preparation that is necessary, it can be understood the days are very full of work. But oulv half the story is told, for all sorts of appointments are asked for, and calls made, by all sorts and ranks of people, many of them of great importance. Interviews have to be sandwiched in between the Conference hours and often three or four people are waiting their turn. Mr Masses' commences his duties at 9 a.m..

and'endeavours to see as many callers as possible before 10.-in a.m. New Zealanders iu London naturally are keen to have a few words with their l'rinie Minister, and even though the interviews are often brief they are given preference. Queer people with "schemes" for bringing about the millennium, large-eyed enthusiasts with formulas for various ills that beset munkind, others who have been grievously wronged, and yet who doji't. want to wreak their vengeance on humanity, and still others with financial projects for the rapid development of New Zealand enterprises, all "come around," and have to be deJUt Avifch —variously. The days are all too ' short, and human capacity too limited. Many luncheon and dinner engagements have had to be declined. Mr Massev's appointment book is his daily bugbear. Unless at times he absolutely shuts himself in his room he would have no opportunity of preparing for each day's Conference work. Papers in their character sketches of the Prime Ministers refer to him as rising at G. 30 a.m. and commencing his office duties at 8.45, and that is a fair guess. Probably, as time and Conferences go on, other systems and other methods will evolve.