NEW STATUS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 13 June 1925, Page 7

NEW STATUS

DOMINIONS’ DEPARTMENT INSTEAD OE “COLONIAL OFFICE” CHANGE GENERALLY APPROVED (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright., Australian A N.Z. Cable Aaaociatioi* LONDON. .June 11. All lypes of lobby opinion approve the new status of the dominions depart ment. The nett olfeet of the change is ilia,! a new departmental under -secretary - ship and a permanent, nnilef-seeretary-ship will he created. As Mr Amcry’s salarv is un.changil the new department will nit cost more than an extra £SOOO. The new dominions under-secretary will sit in the- Lords. Apart ft om Lord Clarendon, the names of Lord Linlithgow and Lord Onslow are mentioned. The. latter has; been recently answering Colonial Office questions in the Lords. Mi- Masterman Smith, the present permanent secret a ry. has been ill and will shortly resign. Two new permanentsecretary's will then be appointed. Sir Joseph Cook states that- any proposal which recognises the the dominions are grown up nations is a. step in, the right direction. Sir James Allen also approves of the

i liangt. The Daily Herald says that from the workers’ viewpoint, the new dominions department is long overdue. The dominions are no longer children, to he kept in a nursery. Recognition of the independent nationhood of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand is belated. They always felt the Colonial Office was the wrong name. ‘‘Whether it, is wise to have the new office in Mr Amery's hands is another matter. He does not even understand the dominion viewpoint, and talks old-fashioned stuff about- a r-trong navy. Dominion statesmen regard Air Ain cry as 50 years behind the times. India must also he given a Dominion status as soon as possible, making the India Office a memory of tin unhappy part." ’The Daily Express says: “The tinnuiiiieeineiit will inspire the great selfgoverning nations with faith and new hope. The have JoiTg ago obtained the full status and stature of nationhood. ‘The Ci-lonia 1 Office has been for a generation a grotesquely -inaccurate misnomer. The dominions will naturally expect. the now department to- he animated by energy and initiative. The lessons to he learned from its inaugurateion are plain. The Commons ought to give the problem of preference a new orientation. IVditieians should rise to the new heightend strive with all their might to lift imperial preference from the ancientruts of party politics. The Labour Party is showing healthy interest in the economics of the Empire. It is possible Labour may shake itself free from Hie shackles of obsolete laissez fa-ire and si retch out a helping hand to the great ripest- expression of democracy.” 'I he Daily Chronicle’s political correspondent states that though Mr Amery's title wii! actually be Secretary of State for the Dominions and for the Colonies, he will popularly be known as 'Secretary of State for the Dominions, and will devote the major part- of his time to Dominion affairs.

'I ho Morning Rost editorially remarks that the departure is an acknowledgment that the old feeling of dependence is justly resented by the dominions and has now no justification whatever. It should facilitate co-operative measures for reducing expense and giving further expression and greater weight to the unity of Empire and its common determination. Tiie editorial concludes: "We hope Air Amery will ho able to regularly visit the dominions.” AIR AMERY ON THE RECONSTRUCTION LONDON. June 11. Air Amery, in a speech at the Corona Club, said that the reconstruction of the Colonial Office was only an outward sign of the process which ihad been maturing for some time. He pointed out that there was a fundamental difference between consultation with the partner nations of the Commonwealth and the administration and development of the colonies, for which Parliament was directly responsible. The re-ar-rangement would benefit the colonies no loss than the dominions. AYe were on the tnreshold of great dstvelopmenc and expansion of the colonial Empire. DOMINIONS CONSULTED ON CHANGE LONDON, June 11. In the House of Commons Ah- Baldwin said the Government had concluded that the. existing organisation of Hie Colonial Office was no longer in correspondence with tiie actual constitutional position of me Empire, and was inadequate to the extent and variety of the work thrown (hereon. It. fell short more particularly in distinguishing between the work of consultation and co-opera-tion ■ willi the Dominions and the administrative work of protectorates. It was proposed therefore that the conduct of Dominions’ affairs he under a new Secretary of State for the Dominions’ Affairs, with its own Parliamentary Under-Secretary, who would also act as chairman of the Overseas Settlement. Committee, and its own permanent lin-!cr-secretary. For the sa|jp of convenience the new secretaryship would continue to he vested in Air Amery. and he ■ousi d in tin- Colonial Office. Replying In Mr MacDonald, who '.skid whether the Dominions had agreed to the change, Air Baldwin said the Government had been communicating with them throughout. He hoped the mailer would he discussed on the Colonial Office vole. GRATIFICATION IN NEW ZEALAND ,ST A TLA IK.VI BY THE PREMIER (United Press A.ssoeiatioii.) WELLINGTON. This Day. Mr Coates slates that the New Zealand Government received Mr Baldwin's announcement regarding dominion control with great pleasure. The proposed organisation would lend to facilitate the increasing volume of ciznmunication regarding foreign policy and oversea settlement. Mr Coates hoped also that. British Ministers would have opportunities to travel throughout the Empire, thus gaining first-hand knowledge oi the omillions in all parts.