EMPIRE AFFAIRS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22847, 30 September 1937, Page 13

EMPIRE AFFAIRS

RECENT CONFERENCE

NEW ZEALAND'S ATTITUDE

EXPLANATION BY MR. SAVAGE

[JIV TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLING TON, Wednesdny

The attitude adopted by the New* Zealand delegation toward the more important questions discussed at the Imperial Conference was explained by the Prime Minister, Mr, Savage, in opening a discussion on Imperial affairs in the House of Representatives tonight. The New Zealand delegation, said Mr. Savage, felt that the reasons for the present disturbed state of the world were mainly economic and that the only way to obtain security was to get representatives of the nations together around the table, where the problems from which they were suffering could bo discussed. However, there was a feeling at the conference that such a meeting would end in failure.

After referring to tho Coronation celebrations and the enthusiasm of the crowds which had assembled from all quarters of the globe, Mr. Savage said one could not help being struck by the importance of world events. At the Imperial Conference he had mot not only the representatives of other Dominions, but also those of colonial possessions who had been admitted at various stages of the proceedings. The main subjects discussed were foreign affairs, defence, trade and constitutional questions. While the objective was always the same, there were on occasions vast differences of opinion on matters of principle. Tho New Zealand delegation, said the Prime Minister, went to the conference satisfied in its own mind that the League of Nations provided the best machinery for the preservation of peace. Various nations appeared to give lip-service to one thing and practise something else. One thing was perfectly clear, and that was that unless agreement was reached on foundation principles it would not bo possiblo to get very far. Main Reason lor Unrest It was felt by the New Zealand delegates that unless steps were taken to lay a new economic foundation it would not be possiblo to get very far on tho road to peace. It was not a question of territorial expansion, as somo people imagined. Empty territories appeared to create problems. Indeed, that appeared to Mr. Savage one of-the problems of the Empire to-day. It was necessary to go deeper than that and find tho real causes of the unrest and even war itself. "Tho main reason for war and unrest is that the people of the various nations are not buyers to the extent that they are producers," said Mr. Savage. "We found great difficulty in getting this simple philosophy accepted by the various Dominions that go to make up tho British Commonwealth, although it seems to me pretty clear that it must play a tremendous part in the peace of the world. If we could only get the nations of the earth to become buyers to the extent that they are producers they could exchange with one another the things that it paid them economically to exchange, without any armed conflict at all."

Mr. Savage said the New Zealand delegates went to the conference firmly convinced that unless there were something in tho nature of an economic settlement, there would never be anything in the nature of peace. There could never bo peace without economic security and the only way to achievo that was to get the nations of tho earth around tho table where their

problems and disabilities could be discussed. . However, there seemed to be a f ec '" ing that such a conference might end in failure, Mr. Savage continued. His reply to that was that the.y were failing now. , . , The Prime Minister mentioned that vSir Cecil Day, who was well known in New Zealand as private -secretary to the Governor-General, was in touch with the War Office and kept the Psew Zealand Government advised of what was happening from day to da v. He only wished that those outside the scheme of things knew what was going on to-day. Unfortunately, thev could not very well he tolil. People with • military' experience would know the : reasons for that. 'Hie New Zealand Government, was also in touch with the Foreign Office and was given every . opportunity to express its views on ! what was happening. There was the closest agreement with the British Government. . "Wo have to realise,'' said Mr. Savage. "that every time we talk out 01 turn we may ho making (1 ifTicul txoF for the British Commonwealth, for our kinsmen overseas. I am not suggesting that people should not meet and diseuss things, hut they should come to headquarters and discuss them with us and not make trouble for us and the world at large."