EMPIRE AFFAIRS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18999, 23 October 1923, Page 9

EMPIRE AFFAIRS

IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS. DEFENCE AND TRANSPORT. GOOD PROGRESS MADE. ProM Association —By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, At the Imperial Conference, Lord Curzon gave the delegates a review of the foreign situation up to date, following uj> his previous statement on foreign affairs, after which tho Conference listened to expositions by Lord Derby (Secretary for War) and Sir Samuel Hoare (Air Minister) on land and air defence respectively. The Economic Conference discussed m general terms the question of aerial trans port. The British Government quite definitely expressed its committal to the principle of establishing an airship service to India. This the overseas delegates regarded as a. me ins of affording them reliable data on which they could subsequently formulate a policy of expansion. Sir Samuel Hoare (Secretary of State for Air), in the afternoon addressed the Economic Conference. He dwelt on tho rapid growth of commercial aeroplane services and outlined the first stages >f the Imperial airship service as follows:—First, the production of a suitable airship; secondly, a bi-weekly service to India; thirdly, the commissioning of six airships of a capacity of 5,000,000 cubic feet. Various dominion delegates _ -uised criticisms, upon which it was decided to appoint a committee to discuss the. whole question of the Burney scheme with the Air Ministry. Tho dominions’ representatives will consider technical and other special matters with the Air Ministry. Mr Amery said he believed that tho airship had reached a stage when success was assured. He pointed out tho speed with with airships were able to be built. To-day’s meeting was occupied by one of the most important discussions of any conference. The delegates got down to bedrock in dealing with vital questions. Much ground waa cleared, but the time for decisions has not been reached. The outstanding features of the week have been tho free interchange of views on naval, military, and air defence. The discussions hitherto have shown that the dominions have found much roorn for improvement os regards communications, ut compared with the previous conferences the dominion delegates are satisfied that muen valuable work is_ in course of completion. There is not a single question on which a general agreement does not exist between the overseas members.—A. and N.Z. Uable and Reuter.

EMPIRE AIR SERVICE. MARCONI COMPANY’S ATTITUDE. LONDON, October 21. Mr Godfrey Isaacs (managing director of the Marconi Company), in a statement regarding Sir Worthington Evans’s complaint, declared that the Marconi Company is ready to enter into a pooling arrangement with the. Post Office provided that it can secure the commercial management of its own services. Alternatively, it will accept a general non-exclusive license. —A. and N.Z. Cable.

THE SHIPPING SERVICES. MR MASSEY’S OPINION. LONDON, October 21. At the Conference during the discussion on 3ir H. MacKinder’s statement, Mr Massey nentioned the work being done bv tho New Zealand Meat Export Control Board, the business of which was to look after a reduction of freights. He said he thought that on the whole New Zealand’s shipping service was satisfactory, cspeciallly as ship ping at present was passing through a .transition stage, but he would be glad if they could speed up the transit of mails, lie wa? sceptical of airships, being doubtful whether they could bo sufficiently strongly constructed to withstand torms in different parts of the world. In regard to the payment of income tax, he stood by tho principle that tho tax should be paid on income where it was earned. It would also be a fine thing if tho double income tax could be abolished.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

A PREFERENTIAL TARIFF. FACTOR IN EMPIRE DEVELOPMENT. LONDON, October 19. Speaking at the Empire Producers’ Organisation luncheon, Sir Philip Lloyd Greame hinted that frank speech was indulged in at the Economic Conference, which was determined to work out in practical manner schemes for the most rapid developing of the Empire’s resources. The only way to attain this object was by pre fercnce. Britain was proud to follow the lead of the dominions in this connection, and would be in nowise retarded in carrying out the policy by adverse criticism. Mr Bruce argued that there were no palliatives for tho unemployment in Britain. The only remedy was to find new markets. Ho laid down three postulates. First, there must be increased competition in the world’s markets; secondly, there must be increased population, an ever-increasing* surplus of which must bo ranged under the British flag; thirdly, there must be improved methods of production apart from increased production, necessitating even greater markets, in which connection he urged the necessitv of developing the potentialities of the Empire. Mr Massey strongly advocated marking imported goods to indicate whether aney were produced within or without the Empire.—Reuter. MANUFACTURERS SUPPORT PREFERENCE. LONDON, October . 19. The Council of the Midland Manufacturers resolved in favour of mutual Imperial Preference, expressing the opinion that a scientific tariff would increase tho export trade.—Reuter.