DOMINION STATUS

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12527, 17 August 1926, Page 12

DOMINION STATUS

SOUTH AFRICA ASKS FOR MORE HOPES FOR AUSTRALIAN SUPPORT AT COMING CONFERENCE By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. CAPETOWN, August 15. The “Nation,” a Nationalist English weekly, supposed to represent the official vww of the party, discussing ilie Imperial Conference, says: “There is every reason to suppose that South Afrio*, Canada., and the Irish Free State will stand shoulder to shoulder for a practical application of the Dominion status. Australia and New Zealand may stand on the other side. “This is no< unexpected as far as New Zealand is concerned, because she has never fully emerged from the swaddling clothes of colonykood. “The case is different with Australia, where the birth-cry of awakening nationhood from time to time has been heard, U is with some surprise,, therefore, that Mr Bruce’s denial or the cir.iin of the Dominions to an independent status under tho British Crown has been heard. It is not impossible that Australia’s fear of the East may have prompted Mr Bruce’s conservative attitude. Even so. not improbably his views will call forth a repudiation, even in Australia.” Referring to Mr Bruce’s remark that sympathy and interest should be shown to the ideal? and aspirations of other Dominions, the paper concludes: “These words give us reason to hope that Australia, even though she may not choos-5 an independent status under the British Crown for herself, will nevertheless unt only not oppose, but even view with sympathy the claim of other Dominions to whom, as General Hertzog has said, international independence has become an un»voidable national reed.