ATTITUDE OF THE DOMINION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22708, 22 October 1935, Page 9

ATTITUDE OF THE DOMINION

SUPPORT FOR UNITED KINGDOM LABOUR PARTY CONSULTED (Per United Press Association) MASTERTON, October 21. Facts not hitherto disclosed were made known by the Minister of Finance, Mr Coates, when lie was asked at a meeting here to-night how far New Zealand had gone in supporting the United Kingdom in the present international crisis. Mr Coates said that New Zealand had autonomy, in which she preserved her own identity. The decisions of the Imperial Conference of 1920 had given the dominions equality, though not necessarily equal stature. Following on the war, the League of Nations had been set up and New Zealand, with the rest of the Empire, had tried to support it. In the present difficulties the question had been raised whether the League of Nations was to survive or whether they were to revert to alliances, re-armament, and the whole trouble all over again. The United Kingdom had definitely given a lead to the world in her efforts to bring about disarmament. She had perhaps gone so far as to justify a certain amount of worry. The United Kingdom had given wholehearted support to the principles and Covenant of the League of Nations in the present crisis, Mr Coates continued, and New Zealand had agreed to certain of the sanctions decided upon by the League. ■ These had been agreed to aftei being considered in detail not only by the Government, but by representatives of the Labour Party, Messrs Savage and Nash, whom the Government had taken into its closest confidence in this matter. It was felt that this was not a matter of party but one of country. He was perhaps disclosing something he should not, but the Prime Minister and himself had conferred with Messrs Savage and Nash and had given these representatives of the Opposition complete information. They felt that this was a serious time and that it was only right that repre sentatives of the people who were not in the Government should bo taken into their confidence. They had agreed to sanctions and up to the present they had supported the United Kingdom ona hundred per cent. As against the former conditions in which a lead from tlu» United Kingdom was accepted as a matter of course, each step was now considered before being approved. He thought the public expected them to do that. He thought he was right in saying that the Empire was wholly unanimous in supporting the United Kingdom in its support of the League of Nations.