BRITISH COMMONWEALTH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27018, 1 March 1949, Page 5

BRITISH COMMONWEALTH

“NEVER MORE LIVING REALITY THAN TO-DAY” ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S BELIEF LONDON, Feb. 27. The British Commonwealth of Nations had never been in peace time a more living reality than it was.today, said the Attorney-General, Sir Hartley Shawcross, in a speech to his constituents in St. Helen’s (Lancashire). “The more I have to do with the United Nations the more I realise the dangers, military and economic, which beset the world, and the more I believe in the political and economic significance of the British Commonwealth,” he said. “The Commonwealth countries by no means voted as a bloc at the United Nations meetings. “It is the right to differ, while remaining in close association, which is part of the strength of the Commonwealth, but when it comes down to fundamental things, matters which are decisive for democracy or for war or peace, the Commonwealth in general thinks alike and consequently votes alike.” Referring to the increased importance of the Commonwealth in trading matters, Sir Hartley said that unhappily Britain’s capacity to purchase from Canada was limited by the dollar shortage. Although British exports to Canada had been rising they had only paid for less than one-third of Britain’s imports from her. “Australia and New Zealand have made great efforts and great sacrifices to keep the Mother Country supplied with food,” the Attorney-General went on. “They have never, like certain countries outside the Commonwealth, sought to exploit world shortages.” Defending the Government policy of bulk buying, he said that one of the factors in strengthening trade relations with the Commonwealth was the system of bulk purchase, which, without an increase in price to Britain, gave the Commonwealth farmer that /Security of market and price which encouraged him to greater productive efforts.