EMPIRE DEVELOPMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18899, 27 June 1923, Page 4

EMPIRE DEVELOPMENT

THE ECONOMIC CONFERENCE. INTEREST OF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, May 8. A very distinguished company took part in the annual dinner of the London Chamber of Commerce. In view of the Economic Conference and the British Empire Exhibifcion, the speeches centred round the subject of Empire Development. High Commissioners (including 1 Sir James Alien), Agonts-Gcneral, Foreign Ambassadors, a. considerable number of both Houses of Parliament, the Prime Ministers of New South Wales and of Victoria, besides all tha most distinguished city men, were present. The Duke of Devonshire (Secretary of State for the Colonies) was the chief guest. The fact that the London Chamber of Commerce specialised on this occasion on the subject of Empire only goes to prove that there is an earnest attempt to make the great events of the coming year a success. It was an excellent opportunity for some great speakers, but so far as oratory was concerned the function was not the success it might have been, largely owing to the defective acoustic conditions of the great dining hall. Those who had never heard Senor Don Alfonso Merry Del VaJ (the Spanish Ambassador) .speak before, had an interesting experience. His duty was to propose the toast “London, the Capital City of the Empire.” It seemed to have inspired him, and he treated his audience to a prose poem

who hoard it will forget. Sir Ed re •• ” !• G-itirpisrinufT for 1 nion of South Africa), in replying to the toast o: •• , he r-ritish Dominions. Colonies,. and Protectorates Overseas,” took the opnortnnity to bring up again a question which has been discussed a good deal of late—the need for a closer touch between the statesmen of the dominions and those of the Mother Country. Unless this problem is solved, he maintained that there would certainly be great danger to the Empire. He instanced the call to the dominions last year when trouble with the Turks seemed imminent. Then no one in the overseas lands had any clear idea as to the position. The partnership between dominions and England was not run even on business lines. Closer touch in matters of foreign polities was absolutely essential. The representatives of the dominions in London should be in a position to discuss the great ouestions of policy with the responsible Ministries in this country, and thus be able to keep their own Governments conversant with” what was going on in London. PRIVATE ENTERPRISE IN MIGRATION. In replying to the toast “Inter-Imperial Trade and Commerce,” proposed by Lord Kylsaut, the Duke of Devonshire said that the office he represented, as well _ as the Government, attached the most serious importance to the development of the Empire, and would take an opportunity at the coming conference of frying co add to our efficiency for purposes both of mutual protection and promoting peace. They hoped to have an opportunity of discussing with representatives of the dominions the question of securing closer trade relations. At this moment there were within the confines of the Empire great tracts of land sparsely populated, but rich in natural resources, which were crying out for development, and they believed that now was the opportunity for turning those resources to the best possible use for civilisation. With regard to emigration progress must inevitably be slow, and not of expediency and despair. From personal experience he knew what could be accomplished by what had happeneed in Canada. What was true of the dominions was equally true of all the colonies and Protectorates with regard to mutual co-operation. But he was convinced that the surest way to success was to give private enterprise the fullest opportunity. If the Government could not produce an atmosphere of tranquillity in their own office they hoped to be able to assure others that they could do their legitimate business without any fear of immediate sensations. There had already been some indication of that desire in the reduction of some of the burdens which fell heavily upon industry. THE POSTAL SERVICE.

Sir William Joynson-Hicks, M.P., Post-master-General, proposing “The British Dominions, Colonies, and Protectorates Oversea,” said he intended to devote himself to expanding the postal service so as to bring England and the great dominions closer together, hoping thereby to secure a great development of their mutual trade. They were now putting up a wireless station which would enable communication to be made with the most distant parts of the Emoire. Only on Thursday while inspecting* the Central Telegraph Office in his charge, a message of welcome came to him from employees in Canada, and he was told that only ono-thousandth part of a second elapsed between the operator playing his key on the other side of the Atlantic and the words being printed under his eyes. Surely they could hardly ask for anything quicker than that. His ambition would he to make that a regular medium of communication between England and the dominions. At any rate, all that could be done would be done. Sometimes he heard inquiries as to what the postage rates would he 10 years hence. If he remained in office that time he should hope to offer them a penny postage.