PROBLEMS OF EMPIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18889, 11 December 1924, Page 9

PROBLEMS OF EMPIRE.

VISITS BY MINISTERS.

MR. BRUCE APPROVES SCHEME.

A. av.d N.Z.

MELBOURNE, Dec. 10.

The Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. R. M. Bruce, tc-day referred to the recent statement by the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr. W. F. Massey, in which he expressed agreement with the views of Mr. L. C. M. Si. Amery. Secretary for the Colonies, that if Britain expected overseas Ministers tD make periodical visits to London in order to consult British Ministers, the litter should be equally prepared to mako a journey overseas and hold ((inferences in various parts of the Empire. Mr. Bruce said lie cordially welcomed not only Mr. Amery's suggestion but Mr. Massey'? endorsement. He-en-tirely agreed with the opinion expressed. There was urgent necessity for some armnKement to be made by means of which more frequent conferences might be held between representatives of the selfgoverning portions of the Empire without it being compulsory for the Prime Ministers of Australia and New Zealand to travel to London.

If arrangements could be made for holding conferences in different centres of the Empire, said Mr. Bruce, it would bo quite possible to have more frequent consultations than had been found practicable in the past. He welcomed the suggested periodical visits of British Minis ters. as only by such visits could British statesmen hope to obtain first-hand information regarding the problems which confronted the different parts of the Empire.