The New Zealand Times. FRIDAY MARCH 11, 1931. SPEECH FROM THE THRONE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10846, 11 March 1921, Page 4

The New Zealand Times. FRIDAY MARCH 11, 1931. SPEECH FROM THE THRONE

The Speech with which 'His Excellency Lord Jellicoe opened Parliament yesterday is remarkable for its brevity. It emphasises one thing only, and makes that the dominating influence of the occasion. But before we can consider that thing it is necessary to realise the novelty presented by the Governor-General himself. Lord Jellicoe stands apart from all the King’s representatives of all the days of history in one respect, very remarkable. None of his predecessors had ever done anything to distinguish them. Some of these were of the professional class of Governors; some ■jvere ambitious noblemen anxious "to learn ; others were noblemen who only wanted rest. Lord Jellicoe has held high command in war. In the greatest war of history, he commanded the greatest fighting fleet of history. He ruled the force which maintained the communications of armies beyond the dreaming power of historians; he wa6 responsible for the stranglehold which brought a va6t Empire to the ground; he carried his great fleet through the greatest battle that ever was seen on the water; and the result eventually of the battle he fought was the surrender without’ a shot of a fleet nearly as powerful as his own, equipped better than his 'own, and manned by men who, having had one taste of his battle tactics and the fighting power of his men, simply refused to put to sea, except to surrender. He had wielded the lightning of this great battle, and he had controlled its tremendous thunders ; while the fortunes of the civilised work! waited on his word, and thousands of gallant men died in obeying his orders. It is impossible to imagine any Service greater, or as spectacular, or as nerve-racking, for any man to l perform. It is difficult to realise the contrast between that great service of war and the reading to the Legislative Council of a few phrases announcing a brief, almost colourless, propramme of Parliamentary work. The contrast is certainly notable—between the Admiral hurling destruction on a front- of a couple of score miles, and the Governor-General asking hen. gentlemen of the Legislature of New Zealand to consider an invitation extended to the head of “My Government.” It. is the outcome of the war, and there is no need to say anything more about it. The Speech contains only one thing, as was, of course, generally’ expected. It is a reference to the agenda of 4he Imperial Conference. These, as stated, contain, by the way, nothing about the indemnity. The agenda, the important parts, as we may gather from the Speech, contain two questions—■ the question of the relations of the Dominions to each other, and the question of the relations of the Empire, in which the Dominions have a new status, to the nations of the world. These questions are described as “of the utmost importance,” of suoh importance, in fact, as to require our Prime Minister’s presence during their discussion. As this represents an Imperial request, the first thing to he said is that the request must he granted. But there is another thing also to he said. It is one thing to grant the Imperial request, and quite another what our Prime Minister is to contribute to the discussion of the things for which his presence has been so urgently requested. • The course to be taken by the Prime Minister of New Zealand in the discussion is not a matter within the four corners of the invitation, which, of course, extends only to his presence at the discussion. • That course concerns'’New Zealand; the people of New Zealand whom the Prime Minister will represent at the discussion; the people who will be more or less bound by the result of the discussion. It is the right of the people of New Zealand, therefore, to know, before the Prime Minister starts for the Conference, what it is Jie is to discuss in their interest, so that he may he given by their representatives a full knowledge of their wishes in the matters to be discussed. The analogy holds of an Ambassador who, before starting on a mission, gets his instructions. This matter of the agenda is the main thing in the-Govemor-General’s speech; and represents, so to speak, alterations to the constitutional machinery. The other things alluded to in the Speech, such as the extension of the financial authorisations, the renewal of certain legislation, and so forth, represent the oiling of the machinery of administration, for which the usual provision is, in view of the extension of Parliamentary time, required by the absence of the Prime Minister, inadequate. These can he taken as matters of course.

The main question, the question which requires the full and ■ careful consideration of Parliament, is the question of the agenda of the Imperial Conference, Of that consideration the

indispensable preliminary condition is frankness of statement sufficient- to give Parliament a full understanding of them. We can conceive no reason for any reserve whatever. There is a plea, urged in certain quarters, that the questions in which Japan and India bulk chiefly are such as to require secrecy. They are, no doubt, difficult. But the difficulty is the strongest reason for the utmost frankness in this regard. The danger, moreover, whatever it is, underlying these questions is remote, for it belongs to the growth of the * teeming populations of those countries. The remoteness meets the plea of danger, and is no stronger than a. plea for tactful handling. But, tactful as the handling may he, we must make it understood that the ideal of a. white. New Zealand dominates; that, whatever happens, that ideal must be upheld. To use equivocal language on that point now would be a source of enormous future trouble. We will go so far as to say that if ever this question is to give a wrench to the solidarity of the Empire, the present time is the best for enduring the same. We gather, however, from much that has been said before the session, and from what the Prime, Minister said in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon, that before Parliament can get down to discussion the necessary frankness will be shown. That certainly will be the best course.