The New Zealand Times. SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 1924. MR MASSEY’S RETURN

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11737, 26 January 1924, Page 4

The New Zealand Times. SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 1924. MR MASSEY’S RETURN

With his arrival in New Zealand, tho Prime Minister closed his work as the Dominion’s representative abroad. About that work, one "cannot say that it was crowned with success. But success depended, not on the efforts of our representative, but on the goodwill of the Imperial Parliament. That Parliament has not yet declared its will about the results of the Imperial Conference. But after the decisive answer of the British constituencies at the polls, and the consequent change of Ministry, can there he any doubt about the fate of the Conference policy? Mr Massey, with a creditable show of optimism, thinks—if we may judge hy the remarks he made during his reception in Auckland —that the House of Commons probably will ratify the Conference agreement. We hope he may be proved right, but we fear he will be proved wrong. Leaving this point for a moment, we must consider the part played by our representative, quite irrespective of its success. Mr Massey has throughout upheld, with energy and ability, the interest of the Dominion at the Conference. That is all the success the Dominion had a right to expect. The Dominion expected him to do his best, and he did bis best, through thick and thin. It is for the Dominion to appreciate his efforts, and to thank him for his upholding of its best interests. Ho was concerned at Auckland to reply to certain newspaper critics of the Old Country. These do not reflect any of the opinion of this country, which agrees with Mr Massey that he had the right to speak anywhere he went and everywhere for the cause that took him to London, and that, in exercising that right, ho neither interfered in any election contest, nor broke any rule of hospitality. As to his views, the Dominion is unanimous in agreeing with him that hospitality does not bind the opinions of its recipients. It is difficult to believe that the monstrous doctrine of purchase by hospitality of opinions was ever even hinted at hy Mr Massey’s journalistic critics. But as he seems to think it was, and has answered the implication, he is entitled to the unanimous support of tho Dominion. Mr Massey’s speech, as reported by wire, is not as clear a statement, in one respect, as could be wished. From the language imputed to him, one is led to believe that he declared the Imperial Parliament to be in a different position to our own, that, whereas our and the other Dominion Parliaments receive the Conference agreement subject to their approval, the Imperial Parliament, on, the other hand, must ratify the agreement as a solemn promise made by the Imperial Prime Minister to the Dominion representatives in Conference. As there is not, and cannot be, any such constitutional! difference, it is puzzling to read Mr Massey’s words as apparently meaning that the Imperial Parliament is constitutionally weaker than ours. But later on in the speech, when he had got away from the discussion of the Dominion status and what he had said about it, and reached the question of the results, Mr Massey roundly declared that the Imperial Government has the power to decide as it chooses. It becomes thus clear that there has been a mistake somehow in the wording. All that it is necessary to say, therefore, is that tho status of all the Parliaments of the Empire is the same in such matters. In all of them agreements submitted to their’ ratification are subject to their pleasure. So far as the plighted word of a Prime Minister is concerned, it must ho regarded as a promise that the matter shall he submitted to Parliament. On that the dominions have a right to insist that it is tho duty of tho Government of the day, in case of a change of Government meanwhile, to honour the promise of the head of the Government that has passed out. As Mr Ramsay Macdonald has said that he will leave Parliament to decide what shall be done with the Conference agreement, there is nothing more to be said about that matter.

That Mr Massey, as our representative, who has done his utmost in consultation with all the other representatives of parts of tho Empire, to formulate a scheme for the betterment of the Imperial relations, should strongly wish for ratification hy the Imperial Parliament, is a matter of course. It may appear that he has gone too far in his implication—if he has made such implication—that the Imperial Parliament is bound to ratify what tho Government of tho day, honouring the promise of its predecessor, puts before it; it is hardly necessary to dwell on such appearance. Any apparent stretch may he set down to hie zeal in advocating the cause he has at heart on account of the Empire and on account of the overseas as in-

tegral parts of the Empire. Thi6, in fact, is a point that should count in his favour when receiving the thanks of Parliament and country for his services during his mission abroad. He thinks the difficulties in the way of ratification by the Imperial Parliament have been somewhat exaggerated. This inasmuch as he said at Auckland, and also at Toronto, that, after all, the measure of preference asked for in the Conference scheme is hut small, affecting only some of the minor exported products of the dominions, leaving the great bulk of the vast food products to enter the United Kingdom free. This means that tho Commons may, for the sake of a small advantage to the dominions, consent to a small infringement of the free trade principle on which the British constituencies so strongly insisted at the general election. As these are days of compromise, and as the Labour Government will have to do a good deal of compromising to keep its hold of power, this hope of Mr Massey’s may he regarded as not unreasonable. In the possible event of disappointment; in the event, in other words, of the utter refusal to ratify the Conference agreement, Mr Massey has spoken with no uncertain sound. He has not, like Mr Bruce, declared that the bonds of Empire will be disastrously broken. He has, while expressing disappointment, insisted that there will he no 6hoclt whatever to the Imperial relations. The loyalty of this Dominion to the Empire will remain strong as ever, and as ready as ever for vigorous Imperial co-operation. This because the Empire is the greatest thing in the world, the greatest influence for peace, freedom, and justice that exists in the world. This is the sentiment of the Dominion, and the Dominion will applaud Mr Massey’s expression of it. There will presently be difference about many things with Mr Massey and Mr Massey’s party. But upon this thing of Imperial loyalty there will never be any difference.