EMPIRE AFFAIRS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22714, 29 October 1935, Page 8

EMPIRE AFFAIRS

PARLIAMENTARY ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE USEFUL EXCHANGE OF VIEWS (Peb United Press Association) AUCKLAND, October 28. An interview with. Mr de Valera, President of the Irish Free State, was accorded to Mr P. Fraser, M.P. for Wellington Central, and Mr Mark Fagan, M.L.C., New Zealand delegates to the conference of the Empire Parliamentary Association, who returned to-day by the Monowai. They visited Ireland after the conference. Mr Fraser said they were very courteously received by Mr de Valera, and found their talk with him most interesting. He discussed general social and economic problems with them and they found him a very sincere and wellinformed student of social science and financial questions, including banking, credit and currency. The interchange of views between delegates at the conference had, Mr Fraser said, resulted in a greater appreciation of the problems of different parts of the British Commonwealth of Nations. An important point dealt with was that of British shipping in the Pacific,, with special reference to the Sydney-Auck-land-Vancouver and the Sydney-Wel-lington-San Francisco routes. The general consensus of opinion was that the various Governments could not stand by and see British ships run off the Pacific. During his visit, Mr Fraser continued, he had had an opportunity to judge, partly as a member of the delegation and partly from personal observations., of the merits of the various housing schemes being undertaken by municipalise in many part of England with Government assistance. He had come to the conclusion, in common 'with practically all the delegates from Australia, that the tenement system as embodied in many schemes was unsuitable to conditions in this part of the world and that a local system of individual homes was vastly superior. Mr Fraser said that, contrasted with his knowledge of the British people 30 years ago, he had noted a considerable improvement, both economically and socially. This was evidenced by the improved physique of the youth of Great Britain which was now approaching that of the dominions. This was due in great measure to social legislation, particularly in regard to the housing and feeding of school children. At the same time, much remained to be done and there was still great distress in some areas. . Mr Fraser stressed, in conclusion, that the Trade Union Congres which .he attended had confined, its advocacy of action by the League of Nations against Italy as the aggressor in the Ethiopian dispute to economic sanctions.