EMPIRE PROBLEMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20640, 12 August 1930, Page 11

EMPIRE PROBLEMS

WORK FOR CONFERENCE.

STATUS OF THE NATIONS.

ATTITUDE TO DISARMAMENT.

IMPORTANT ECONOMIC MATTERS [BY TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Monday. A statement on the Imperial Conference was made by tho Prime Minister, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr. Forbes said it would be recognised that on certain questions it would be premature to havo a public discussion before these matters had been considered at tho conference. Defence and foreign policy were conspicuous examples on which considered opinion could only bo given after fullest information, confidential and otherwise, had bcon supplied. It would bo agreed that tho representative of New Zealand must to a considerable extent be allowed a free hand, but he hoped to indicate in general terms tho lines that, it was intended to follow.

Ho wished to make it clear that the present Government shared in no less measure than previous Governments, the traditional attitude of New Zealand toward tho United Kingdom. We valued very highly our continued association with the Mother Country, and it was our wish to maintain this association as closely and as intimately as possible, both politically and economically.

Relations in the Empire. Referring to inter-Imperial relations, Mr. Forbes said the individual membership of Dominions in tho League of Nations and their constantly growing participation in international affairs inevitably focussed attention upon the theory of Dominion status. At the Imperial Conferenco in 1926 a committee headed by the late Earl Balfour produced a momentous report, which was accepted by the plenary conferenco, based on tho dictum that the British Dominions were "autonomous communities within tho British Empire, equal in status and in no way subordinate one to another in any respect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by common allegiance to tho Crown and freely associated as members of the British commonwealth of nations."

Mr. Forbes said he thought New Zealand would have been quite content to havo left things as they had been. We had not in liny way been embarrassed by the terms of association with the British Government, nor had we been restricted in the control of our own affairs, but it was impossible to ignore tho fact that a position which was entirely acceptable to us had not been acceptable to other members of the British Commonwealth.

There could be no question that tho report of the committee of experts of 1929 carried to the logical conclusion the necessarily vague decisions as to Dominion status of the Imperial Conference of 1926. The Government did not feel that it could effectively oppose the acceptance of theso recommendations. If at the forthcoming conference it should appear, and ho had little doubt that it would appear, that the recommendations of the report met with the common acceptance of other Governments, then New Zealand would not dissent.

Recommendations Not Obligatory. "These recommendations are permissive only and not obligatory upon any member of the British Commonwealth," continued Mr. Forbes. "Even when immediate steps proposed by the report to facilitate complete autonomy of the' Dominions have been taken, either in the form of United Kingdom legislation or otherwise, it will still remain for the New Zealand Government and for the New Zealand Parliament to decide how far these recommendations should bo adopted, if at all, in respect of New Zealand.

"Indeed, in ono respect, the New Zealand Government is definitely averse from carrying into effect the full implications of the report. We do not wish to make an alteration in the present powers in regard to New Zealand legislation that would adversely affect the very high standing of New Zealand credit on the London market, and whatever eventuates, we shall carefully safeguard our position in this respect. "It will be noted," continued Mr. Forbes, "that the experts recommend for tho consideration of the Imperial Conference the establishment of a tribunal for the determination of any dispute that may arise between members of the British Commonwealth in international relations. Disputes on matters of right in which we are concerned will now be settled by reference to the Permanent Court of International Justice at the Hague, but in accepting compulsory jurisdiction of this Court, special reservation was made of inter-Imperial disputes, and it is for the consideration of such disputes that this tribunal is now proposed. Disputes Unlikely.

"We feel it very unlikely that we ourselves would be involved in any dispute with another member of the British Commonwealth that might call for the intervention of such a tribunal, but at Ihe same time it is our intention to fall in with any reasonable proposal for setting up such a tribunal in order to avoid any possibility of friction between His Majesty's several Governments. "One of the special subjects referred to in the report as calling for an agreed policy throughout the Commonwealth is that "of nationality, including the very vexed question of the nationality of married women. It is our view that a uniform law of nationality throughout the British Commonwealth is desirable, but we do noi fee! that uniformity will bo easv to attain, or, indeed, that it can be attained without considerable compromise, especially with reference to the case of married women."

Possibility of Conflicts. Referring to foreign policy, Mr. Forbes said New Zealand welcomed the growing strength of the movement toward international peace and disarmament. "We shall do all that properly lies our power to further this movement," he said, "having due regard to the safety and protection of this Dominion and of the British Commonwealth. However encouraging continued improvement, in international relations may lie, and there is no doubt that it is encouraging, he would, I think, be a rnsli man who concluded that the possibility no longer exists of international complications and their attendant, conflicts and miseries. "It, is the duty of the Prime Minister of this country fo take such steps as the international situation may require to provide for every possible eventuality. Our safety, of courso, depends very largely, if not entirely, upon the British Navy, and although we shall welcome any progressive and common reduction in the heavy burden of national armaments, the day has not vet, iri our view, arrived when it is possible to ignore the necessity of naval defence. "The question <>f the Singapore base is fo receive consideration at, the Imperial Conference," said Mr. Forbes, "and it would be premature to discuss the matter in any detail now. The Government, and, I think, the people of New Zealand, have been impressed with the necessity for a base in the Pacific from which the British Fleet could operate should the occasion unhappily arise. We have shown the importance that we attach to this question by a substantial annual contribution toward the cost of the base of I £125.100 per annum, with a maximum of £1.000.1X10, and we have in no wise altered our opinion in that respect." Turning to the economic side of . the agenda, there was first of all the highly

important subject of intor-Imperial trade. The Government fully recognised the importance of this subject, which was equalled only by its complexity and its difficulty of approach. "We yield to the people of no Dominion in our devotion to the principles of inter-Imperial unity, both, economically and otherwise," said Mr. Forbes, "and we will cnter»upon a discussion of economic subjects at the conference with all goodwill and with the desire to foster trade within the commonwealth in every possible way. We should, of course, welcome the fullest extension of capital investments and the establishment of branch industries in this Dominion and we will encourage in every possible way the development of interImperial trade by trade commissioner services or other means referred to in the agenda. "Wo shall enter into any discussion that may bo promoted on the question of inter-Imperial tariff preferences in a helpful spirit. I do not propose to commit the Government on the subject of bulk purchases and price stabilisation. I am not yet aware of the proposals that will bo placed beforo the conference in this respect, and it would certainly bo premature to express any views, but I look forward with interest to the discussion of these subjects. "The question of oversea settlement is one of the utmost importance and is at* the same time one of the most difficult so far as we are concerned. Unprecedented continuance of unemployment hero renders it quite impossible that we should at present encourage immigration into this country, and this not only in the interest of the people already hero, but equally in the interests of the intending immigrants.

"Finally, I must refer to that portion of the report of experts on Dominion legislation that deals with merchant shipping. The report proposes complete autonomy on this subject as on others. Recommendations have been carefully considered by the Now Zealand Marino Department, and with one minor exception Ihey are regarded as entirely acceptable. Actual steps, if any, that we may decide to take to put these recommendations into practice here will, of course, bo a matter for the New Zealand Parliament, and it is not proposed to take any such steps during this session.

"In addition to tho conference itself, there will bo numerous matters requiring my attention while abroad, and in particular it is hoped to negotiate trade agreements with Canada and with France."

MR. HOLLAND'S VIEW. BULK SYSTEM OF PURCHASE. BETTER MARKETING NEEDED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION. ] "WELLINGTON, Monday. Commenting on tho Prime Minister's speech, the Leader of the Labour Party, Mr. H. E. Holland, said he thought it would be advisable to alter the name from Imperial Conference to British Commonwealth Conference. The name "Imperial" denoted domination, and it was out of harmony with modern Dominion status to maintain it.

One of the most important questions for discussion would be the proposal for bulk purchase of Dominion produce and he was disappointed that the Prime Minister had passed over it somewhat lightly. There had in recent years been a marked tendency toward organising better marketing of primary products. He drew attention to the dependence of Britain upon Dominion markets, and he hoped the Frime Minister would make every arrangement to secure a better system of importation of British goods into this country. It seemed strange that the United Stales, with which we had an adverse trade balance, was in a position to pour such an increasing flow of goods into this country, especially when so many of these goods could have been obtained from the Mother country, which was the best customer for our own products. It went without saying that as tho volume of our products increased, so would increase the noed for more effective marketing.

It was highly desirable that there should be some indication of the quantities of supplies that would be required from the Dominions. Bulk purchase would systematise supplies and would greatly reduce the number of middlemen between the producer and tho consumer. It would guarantee a better return to the former and a cheaper price to the latter in conjunction. There should be a determination to increase the market in this country for British goods in preference to United Stales goods. Mr. Holland said he believed that if a direct vote of the people of New Zealand could be taken it would be against the continuance of the payments of £125,000 toward the Singapore base, unless the British Government insisted on it. He stated that New Zealand stood alone among the Dominions in seeking to continue what might eventually be a futile project. Mr. Holland appealed for some steps to be taken which would enable married women to retain their own nationality.