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Northern Advocate, 13 July 1925, Page 8

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s 0;-!; i().\'S KMPIKH ESTIMATE. EEPiU:si:.VTATION IN LONDON. In the comae of his speech on the Address-in-Repty in the Legislative Council Sir John Sinclair dealt very fully with the representation of the Dominions in London by an authoratative bady. He said that the Dominion valued the Empire above all things, and the inadequacy of the existing system of consultation between the Do-

minions and the Imperial authorities C'Ould well be understood 1 . Resolutions had been passed by the War Cabinet to .recognise the importance of tation with the Dominions, and the late Mr Massey had expressed the, opinion in the House of Representatives that New Zealand was bound to carry out the decisions of the War Cabinet. Canada and Australia did not/ seem to be satisfied with the provisioii" proposed. The reorganisation of the' Colonial Office during the last few years had induced Mr Amery to declare that we must draw closer, always keeping in mind that the greatest aspect was our unity. When they looked back on the years which had passed since the ending of the war they were compelled to ask whether what had been signed made for Empire unity. He was afraid not. The League of Nations had raised a great many hopes of new conditions, but beyond question the change was prompted by a recognition of loyal cooperation. Was not the Empire held together by the old system? Divergence of views on forgotten policy would threaten unity. Apart from that danger there was another akin to it. Ireland had appointed an Ambassador to tfte United States, and Canada had threatened to do the same, but the difficulty was to find .suitable man. Apart, yfrom these' 3 dangers, separate movements were going .on; in different parts &f the Empire which threatened trouble.* He referred to Canada insisting on signing a fisheries.;treaty with the United States instead of its being signed by the British Minister; also to the proceedings in South Africa in regard to preference.

Treaties with foreign-'Powers, signed by the King, bound the Dopiinions, but it was noticeable- that the Anglo-Rus-sian treaty should not be so binding. The Dominions' Parliaments had not sought that such decentralisation should obtain with in the Empire* --as that certain treaties signed by the King should bind the Empire; and that others should bind specific parts only. Ought there not to be set up one Empire consultative body in London, in the interests of Empire unity, such as that which had achieved so much in the past, but which was not in existence today—one representative of the whole Empire. Statesmen must get into personal touch and' discuss problems and difficulties which arose. The sentiment of Imperialism was strong, and Jong might it remain so, but thq,t was no reason why we should measures to strengthen it-. The need for closer touch was felt in the Mother Country, but the " matter was far too great and important to be brought about by a side wind. The High Commissioner was appointed for quite a different reason than to act on a body such as suggested. There should be an equal voice for Dominion and British Ministers. It 'would be well if the High Commissioners were asked to refrain from delivering themselves publicly on questions of political policy. The guarantee o£ the peace of Europe meant placing'the British Navy at the

disposal of the League of Nations. The-most serious l ' 'question of all, peace or war, migfit be 1 'decided for the British nation by a foreign body. SIR FRANCIS BELL'S COMMENT. Sir Francis Bell said' that he did not like to allow the opportunity to pa.s* without some comment on Sir John Sinclair's speech, because what he stated always had a foundation of common sense, and was deserving of consideration. It was a little more difficult for him to speak of the relations between the Prime Minister of Ergland and the Prime Minister of the Dominion, as in the latter capacity he had received communications in the strictest confidence. He expressed his dissert from any suggestion of a conclave or cabal of' Ministers of second vf>n\ representing the Empire in Lond',.i—it would not be any use. It was not possible, hp' thought, to conceive, that a man living in London would be able to offer any information or advice to the Government, -n London >viili<>ut continually referring to the Government of this-country. He knew what Lord Milner had' meant when he referred to a Council of the Empire—he meant a • consultative body. But a representative from the Dominion, in his humble- opinion, was necessary, and that could be- done by increasing the status of the High Commissioner. It had been said that the High Commis•ioners were merely commercial agents, but they were considerably beyond that. They were called together by the Colonial Office and Consulted for the purpose of communicating with their several Governments oil-minor matte."*. On major matters the cable wias ; used' quite frequently, and tile subject was fully dealt with also by correspondence. Such a crisis as that of Chanak, for instance, could only be dealt with in an emergency by the Imperial Government. New Zealand had said consistently for thirteen years -that thecourse. now< pursued was' the best. The wanted to' be • consulted _.->n matters concerning it individu&lT.y, but with regard'to Empire questions was willing to act on the advice of His Majesty's Government in London. He agreed almost entirely with Sir Jihn Sinclair's opinion 'that there should be a body nt. Home to confer with on ordinary matters, but snid that we had such in the High Commissionc-i. Foreign countries had representatives at the Court of St. James, who^ dutywas to communicate pri\atc and confidential matters'between the Foreign Minister of Eng.and and that of thenown country. The hitter's Ambassador di' 1 'not speak authoritatively on matter* •>'' "-iiporfanco, but first consulted h:-' oun Goromm.-nt. and brought res „;i. Irn'lc to (!■'• foreign Office. The had an correlation

of that in the High Commissioner:. It wctVild be up-wise, undesirable, and. useless for any other course to be followed. There were instances when our representatives at Home had hot been discreet, but Sir Thomas Mackenzie had always been prudent and discreet. What they had to remember was that the centre of the nation was in London, and that the bond of union was the Sovereign who acted in matters of Empire .under the guidance of Ministers he had appointed. There was only one man who could really speak with authority for New Zealand, and that was its Prime Minister, because he had Inn majority in Parliament to support, him. They might dream of an Imperial conclave, in Limduu, but it was a futile dream.