Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, JULY 22, 1935 KNOWLEDGE OF THE DOMINIONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 22 July 1935, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, JULY 22, 1935 KNOWLEDGE OF THE DOMINIONS

NOT many British statesmen of years gape by have had personal knowledge of the vast Empire for whose well-being they were largely responsible, and last week Lord Bledisloe, speaking at the Empire Society’s summer school, endorsed the New Zealand Premier’s regret “that members of the British Cabinet lack personal knowledge of the Dominions.” The ex Governor-General of New Zealand added, “Their ignorance is nowhere more marked than concerning New Zealand. Yet the Empire’s future rests predominantly in their hands. If their knowledge is second-hand and scanty, the British proletariat and members of the House of Commons are still more ignorant, seriously threatening ultimate Dominion separation.” Lord Bledisloe, when making that utterance, spoke from close personal knowledge of New Zealand and near acquaintance with other Dominions, and therefore speaks with authority when discussing them and their problems. Evidently lie thinks that members of the British Cabinet cannot be expected to deal wisely with the nations of the Empire, 'and shape its future safely and well, unless they know its countries and people by personal contact with them. Mr Ramsay AlacDonald paid a visit to Australia and New Zealand in pre-war days, Mr Thomas and Mr Baldwin attended the Ottawa Conference, and Air Runeiman visited Canada as a looker-on at that important gathering. But no doubt Lord Bledisloe is right when he stigmatises the members of the British Cabinet with a lack of intimate and personal knowledge of the Dominions. Their knowledge of the Crown Colonies and India does not come within the scope of this article: their future rests in the hands of the British Government, which must give an account of its stewardship in respect of them. But the good relationship between Great Britain and the Dominions depends very largely upon British statesmen’s knowledge of the Dominions, and of the Dominions’ statesmen’s knowledge of Great Britain. Now, such knowledge cannot he completely attained by means of despatches, other written communications, and books. To be complete it needs personal contact. All the Dominion Premiers, who lately attended the King’s Jubilee and the informal conference which succeeded it, know England by personal contact, but how many of the British statesmen concerned have personal knowledge of the Dominions As Lord Bledisloe intimates, there are many members of the British Cabinet who have no personal knowledge of the Dominions, and therefore cannot he expected to have that sympathy with their point of view which is necessary when discussing their affairs, if satisfactory conclusions are to he reached. It is that sympathy which is essential in such discussions. Without it, all sorts of misunderstanding may arise. It was lack of such knowledge and sympathy which lost Britain her American Colonies, and similar lack, as Lord Bledisloe fears, may do much to disrupt the British Commonwealth of Nations, which consists of Great Britain and the Dominions. Fortunately that Commonwealth cannot be broken up by the foolish action or inaction of any one of its Governments. The King is the head of the Commonwealth, and to him personally each of its Governments is responsible. Certain members of the British Government may he ignorant of the Dominions, and indifferent to their affairs, hut they are responsible to the King as well as to Parliament for preserving good relations with the Governments of tho Dominions. It is this indifference which Lord Bledisloe censures, and would have removed ; and lie very properly thinks that tlie best means for removing it is personal knowledge of the Empire’s component parts. lie would have members of the British Cabinet to know intimately the Empire for whose welfare they are so largely responsible. Doubtless when expressing his opinion lie had in mind certain Ministers who do not display that interest in the outer Empire which is essential to its welfare. Probably lie lias formed by personal contact with such j Little Englanders the opinion that in their hands the welfare of the Empire would he endangered, if it were not for tho friendship which imbues the nations of the Dominions and Great Britain. His appeal, therefore, is for increased knowledge of the Dominions in Great Britain, and especially in the members of its j Government. Hero probably is a work

in which the press is best able to exhibit its usefulness. In such a Dominion as this, for instance, it is the daily digest of English news, contained in carefully condensed cablegrams, which gives New Zealand a fairly clear idea of the salient happenings at the heart of the Empire. Other Dominions have similar services. The daily publication in English journals of news from the Dominions is a valuable method for keeping the people of England and its Government mentally in touch with the people of the Dominions, and should be developed to the greatest possible extent.