EMPIRE MEETING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22722, 7 May 1937, Page 11

EMPIRE MEETING

ST. JAMES' PALACE

APPROPRIATE SCENE WOULD TABIFF HAMULUS OFFER BY UNITED STATES By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, May 5 The political correspondent of the Australian Associated Press learns that the Imperial Conference will be inaugurated in St. James' Palace. It is the first Imperial Conference to be opened in a Royal Palace. Apart from being appropriate for the jubilee conference, it is regarded as a fitting scene for the Coronation year, and also appropriate to the new status of the Dominions. It is understood that the British Government is anxious that the Prime Ministers should discuss the movement toward lowering the world's tariff barriers.

As a coincidence which recalls the meeting of Mr. Scull in and Mr. Forbes at the 1930 Imperial Conference, Mr. Lyons in the Savoy Hotel greeted Mr. Savage to-day. It was the first occasion on which they had met as Prime Ministers.

Sir Arthur Willert, lately of the Foreign Office, has just returned from America. It is generally believed that he was inspired by Mr. Cordell Hull when ho announced in a speech in London: " Mr. Hull desires Britain and the Dominions to join in a new economic trade agreement with the United States. This would mean sacrifice by Britain. Moreover, the Dominions would not easily reconcile concessions to America with Imperial preference. Nevertheless, the Empire's first business in the new reign should be to grasp Mr. Roosevelt's economic hand of assistance."

King George granted an audience to all the Dominion Prime Ministers. DOMINION LEADERS ALL NOW IN LONDON ECONOMIC SITUATION British Wireless RUGBY, May 5 With the arrival yesterday of Mr. M. J. Savage, all the Dominion Prime Ministers who are to attend the Coronation and take part in the ensuing Imperial Conference are now in London. The revision of the Ottawa agreements is not on the agenda and as has been stated in Parliament it has been decided that any modifications considered necessary can best be secured by separate negotiations. The agreement between Britain and Canada was recently modified in this way. In view, however, of recent world developments, and notably inquiries now being undertaken by Dr. van Zealand, Belgian Prime Minister, some revision of the economic situation -md of economic policy is generally regarded as inevitable.