ECONOMIC CONFERENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16665, 10 April 1916, Page 5

ECONOMIC CONFERENCE.

MR HUGHES'S STATUS.

COMMENTS BY REPRESENTATIVE JOURNALS.

LONDON, April. 8. (Received April 9, at 5.5 p.m.) Mr W. M. Hughes (Prime Minister of Australia) has recovered from his recent illness. > The Daily Mail, in a leading article, says the Government is removing all obstacles in the way of Mr Hughes attending the Paris Conference. Mr Hughes declined to discuss the matter, and awaits developments. The Times says: "It is good hews that the Government is prepared to avail itself of Mr Hughes's services. He knows the sentiments of the peoples overseas, and it must be remembered that before the Empire can make arrangements'with its allies it must devise an Imperial trade policy. The Daily Chronicle rejoices that Mr , Hughes will attend the conference, but warns him against the fervid advances of newspapers who loathe the ideal for which he stands and yet fall effusively upon the neck of a Labour Prime Minister. The Westminster Gazette hopes that the dominions will accept Mr Hughes as their spokesman, though actually he is no more than the representative of Australia. Other papers favourably comment upon the Government's decision. The Financial News, in a leading article, says: "Mr Hughes's progress is as enlivening as a North Country functionary called the "Knock up." He has stirred public opinion as ft has never been stirred since the war began. He is a real live Imperial statesman, determined upon a clean sweep of the Teuton. This is the last thing Whitehall desires, but the country wants Mr Hughes in the Cabinet because he knows what John Bull is after and is leading straight for the goal. ! The Evening News, in a cartoon under the heading, "We don't want to lose you, but think you might go," depicts Mr Asquith as handing Mr Hughes his overcoat, hat, stick, and a ticket marked " Return to Australia." The Daily Telegraph declares that Mr Hughes represents the spirit of the dominions to a degree, unsurpassed by any public man in the Empire. The Daily Chronicle's Labour correspondent says: "Mr Hughes's bait is tempting, but the Australian ideas of State are n crude for England. Australian P>'o f ection gives us ideas, but is incapable cf giving the British worker a better state of tilings."