IMPERIAL RELATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20929, 20 July 1931, Page 11

IMPERIAL RELATIONS.

,WESTMINSTER STATUTE

autonomy for dominions

matter OF APPROVAL.

BUSINESS FOR HOUSE THIS WEEK

[bx telegraph.—special reporter." WELLINGTON, Sunday,

. There is general agreement, inside the House of Representatives and out of it that the week just ended has been one the dullest and least inspiring in the Jiistory of the New Zealand Parliament. Members of the House themselves seemed jclieved when the debate on the Address-in-Reply petered out at mid-day on i {Thursday. There was little to hold the attention ■throughout a somewhat aimless ' discussion, and when on Thursday evening the no-confidence motion put forward by the Leader of the Labour Party, Mr. H. E. Holland, was heavily defeated, there •vras little desire to. keep the debate going. Members were able to roam over the old familiar ground again on Friday, when Ministerial answers to questions were made available. The way is now open for the introduction of several legislative measures which the Prime Minister has promised prior to the appearance of the Budget, which he still expects to haye ready by the end of this month. Approval by Resolution. Tuesday has been set apart for a disjenssion on the report of the Imperial Conference of last year, and the House will be asked to approve by resolution of ithe Statute of Westminster, possibly the most important constitutional document that has been placed before Parliament for many years. .The Statute of Westminster, which was drafted by the Imperial Conference,- seeks to remove any over-riding power possessed by the British Government upon legislation passed by any of the Dominions. ' Under the provisions of the Colonial Laws Validity Act of 1865, it was held that certain laws passed by any of the colonies could be made void if they were held to be repugnant to the law of England. Subsequently certain legislation relating to merchant shipping passed by the Dominions was made subject to approval by the British Government.

History of the Movement. A revival of this discussion on the legislative) powers of British Dominions, which was the subject of a special committee's report in, 1929, is in reality the crystallisation of a great movement by many of the Dominions toward constitutional self-reliance, which began at the Versailles Conference in 1919, when for the first time these Dominions were allowed to stand on their own feet with independent personal representation. At the 1926 Imperial Conference, the principle of the absolute autonomy of the Dominions in internal and external affairs 'jad recognised, and the 1930 Conference has recognised this principle by drafting tie Statute. of Westminster, which provides, among other things, "that the Colonial Laws Validity Act, 1865, shall -.not apply to any law made after the commencement of this Act by the Parliament* of any Dominion."

It is further specified that no Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom shall, after the passing of this Act, extend to a Dominion as part of the law in force in that Dominion, unless the Dominion affected has specially requested and consented to its enactment. Extraterritorial Powers.

The Dominions are also given power under the Statute to make laws having extraterritorial operation. The wide powers of extraterritoriality, especially regarding shipping, have, among other phases of this Statute, created a great deal of discussion.

It was regarded as significant that the document was received with the greatest iavour by the Irish Free State and South Africa, both of which have been pressing for secession. In the case of New Zealand, however, the dislike of any rash action was evinced by the definite proVision of a special clause in the Statute providing that the Statute should apply to New, Zealand only after special legislation had been passed by the Parliament ©f this country. During the week, therefore, the Parliament of New Zealand will be asked to a gree to the Statute of Westminster being passed by the British Government. Each Government is expected to send its approval to the British Government not «ter than August 1, but special legislation will be required if New Zealand is to take advantage of the provisions of the Statute and claim for herself the wide legislative powers signified in its Schedule.

Expectation ol Statement,

No statement of the Government's indentions has yet been made by the Prime Minister. He is expected to clear Pp this point when he speaks in the discussion early in the week, but it is reasonable to believe that New Zealand is well satisfied with her relations with Me British Government. She has every*Jng to gain by ..the maintenance of Imperial ties, and the old saying that tho slender the thread the greater the ff. ment is not largely subscribed to in Mis country. The passing of the Statute by the . Htish Parliament will give the DominlODS complete autonomy. Actually, it aeans that they will cut adrift from tho : Country so far as law-making is concerned, and will conduct their own affairs ' , complete independence A learned writer on the subject, how- ■ , ra,se d a nice point whether the » . ntish Parliament, being sovereign', has power ,to bind itself. Can it be other "5 n sov ereign, he asks ? This, and J* fine points of discussion, -controi Kiahsts must settle for themselves. 1 ew Zealand's representatives have in- : 1 a clause in the Statute safeguard's her own interests, and the House will fn S' v en an opportunity, probably on B.m- rat "ifving this action. In ■ teaV°"' a S enera ' discussion will be j.i• ln the House upon Imperial rear,d New Zealand's part in the ' mperial Conference. , |n n - e . Present intention of the Prime toj .* s 'to allow members to have ense" t ? nc ® Thursday for the disprivate members' bills, leaving ■ ■ r *' le consideration of further : rn J* rn ' nen t' business. Among the Govthe 'I; measi »'es likely to appear are Land' t Coupons Bill and the Maori Laws Consolidation, Bill.