MB MASSEY AT HOME

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10993, 31 August 1921, Page 5

MB MASSEY AT HOME

WORK FOR NEW ZEALAND IMPRDI \T. CONFERENCE '‘NO OTHER LWSINKSS. DISARMAMENT PROPOSALS. L Official Correspondent.) LONDON, July PA The Imperial Conference delegates luring the past week have been busy, 3h.iefly -at meetings of speciau co’nnmtees, 'to which various subjects ot Wie Conference have'been referred. Tor the past few days, also, » good. turn© of-the' Prime Minister ot Brsuiin I vis, perforce, been given ujm to the Irish conferences. The Canadian and South African delegates are anxious tc leave for their respective countries «e----lore the end of the month. Behind a» is the uncertainty regarding the , final outcome of the proposal of 1 resident Harding rogirdiug unners.il disarmament. No dis. Sosures. have been possibJe vet re-anlii’."- that subject, though probable i>v the time this letter roaches New Zealsnd more v. ill be known than o\n no v be st.ittxl ■ but Mr M-> cy has midi* it quite ri<vir \.ana «*> Jif Hughes-) thrrt Non* Zealand ami Australia expect to represented a-t any conference a»t which the Pacific problem is to be dealt with in its relation to {fcarmament. America desires tho conference to be held on the arnnstirc anniversary, November 11th. and both Mr Massey and Mr Hughes have intimated that they must return to thear respective countries before that date. The alternative of a preliminary conference in London has been suggested, but newspaner cables from America indicate that'this will not be acceptable, to a section at least, of American opinion—for reasons already cabled to New Zealand. Same Oanadfian papers Have supported America. A decision ban yet to be arrived at. Meanwhile ‘‘conversations’ ’ between the various Powers are proceeding. WORKING LONG HOURS. What with the work of the Conference, and of the special committees, the Prime Minister of Nerw Zealand has been kept as busy as ever. His working hours are longer than, in New Zealand. The loan negotiations are out of the way, but shipping freights, wool and’ market affairs take up a great deal of his tine outside the Conlereneo matters. He has also devoted much attention to the question of New Zealand’s share of the, German reparations , though to details, nor any information on that subject, can yet be made public. His negotiations have been conducted with the Chancellor and the Treasury.

SHIPPING AND FREIGHTS. A report of a gathering, or conference,- of New Zealand shippers and producern of frozen meat and produce, and of shipping company representatives, which Mr Massey himself convened, is supplied urder a separate heading. The gathering was a large one, held early in the morning to enable the Prime Minister to attend the Imperial Conference at 11 o’clock. The shipping companies were informed by the producers of the impossibility of shipping being continued unless freights were reduced, and the shipping people in turn said they also were losing m< —y. A committee of representatives of both sides was set op to discuss, firstly, the freights and the possibility of meeting the situation; and, secondly, to consider the practicability of a permanent committee to deal with shipping and freight matters. The committee might be set op either in London or New Zealan.l. No report of its decisions has yet been made. Special honour was conferred upon Mr Massey by ffhe British Empire Producers’ Association in inviting him to bo the guest of the association at its luncheon at the Hotel Victoria on Thursday last. The, attendance was the largest the association has had at its luncheons for many years. A considerable number of New Zealanders, many of whom were attending the as■Delation's annual conference, wees pm sent. Mr Massey’s reception was very hearty, the applause which greeted him being loud and sustained. He was in excellent form, and spoke vigorously on Empire matters, particularly in regard to mmmerail and industrial affairs, and predicted amongst other things that as a fall in the world’s flocks of 20 per cent, in the last ten years was shown, the demand for wool and mutton must soon overtake the available supply, and that producers could accept this grain of comfort in these times of low prices. The speech was frequently applauded. The Press generally gave Mr Massey’s remarks much prominence. A number of other imitations to speak at publin functions were declined by the Prime Minister, who has found* it a physical impossibility to comply with all. The same has* applied to social functions.

HIS NINTH YEAR OF OFFICE. The British Press gave prominence to congratulations to Air Massey upon his successful completion of his ninth year of office as. Prime Minister. Some of the larger papers published personal sketches and n.ost of the provincial journals also Lad their paragraphs. In London pictorials was published a photograph of Mr Massey receiving tho congratulations of Mr Lloyd George, which an enterprising photographer had secured. On the 10th inst. the Prime Minister and Mm and Miss Massey were the guer.es at Chequers (Buckinghamshire) of Mr and Mrs Lloyd George, where, with other overseas guests they spent a very pleasant time. At the latter place the Prance of Wales was present. On the 11th the party ,dined at the Carlton Hotel with the Indian Conference delegates, and the Secretary of State for India. On the 13th they were the guests of Vi-tountess Astor, the Duke of Connaught being present, and cs the 14th dined with tho Archbishop of Canterbury at Lam bet b Palace. ,