IMPERIAL RELATIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21266, 21 February 1931, Page 13

IMPERIAL RELATIONS

THE OTTAWA CONFERENCE. NO GREAT ENTHUSIASM. » (United ’Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, February 19. The Herald’s political correspondent asks what is happening about the Ottawa Conference. It is practically four months since the Imperial Conference decided to continue the economic discussions at Ottawa, but little has been heard since then. The British Government Cabinet Committee, in consultation with the Government departments, is arranging a policy, but no decision about the date appears to have been reached. It was earlier suggested that the conference might be held in midsurpraer, but that apparently is now out of the question owing to the short time for preparation. There appears to be some difficulty in getting all the dominions to agree. The uncertain political position here and in Australia, and the difficult internal situations in the other dominions seem to point to no great enthusiasm about Ottawa at the moment. The dominion delegates generally hoped that there might be a change of Government here between the Imperial and the Ottawa Conferences. Although the situation here is still most uncertain, an election appears to be further away than at any time recently, and there is a hinted possibility of the Ottawa Conference being deferred until 1932. The dominions feel that little progress can be achieved under the present Government, which would be prepared to discuss little more than wheat quota, bulk purchase, and import boards. The dominions feel that real business would only be possible there with a Government which was willing to negotiate imperial preferences. Mr MacDonald’s Government has latterly given a colder douche thereon, and Mr Graham’s latest approach to European countries for an all-round lowering of tariffs further embarrasses the dominions.