FERVENT APPEAL TO CONSERVATIVE PARTY TO DEVELOP EMPIRE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27212, 15 October 1949, Page 7

FERVENT APPEAL TO CONSERVATIVE PARTY TO DEVELOP EMPIRE

NZPA—Reuter—Copyright LONDON, Oct. 13. The biggest wave of enthusiasm yet evoked at the Conservative Party’s annual conference was that which greeted a fervent appeal by the member for Melton, Mr Anthony Nutting, to the party to develop the Empire. Mr Nutting said that, there were many Empire projects which would bountifully repay the simplest development and make Britain less dependent on the dollar countries. “ There is no will in the Socialist Party to develop the Empire.” he said, “although the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Stafford Cripps, has apparently postponed the date of its liquidation until after the Americans have finished investing money in it. “ Too many have regarded the dominions as chunks of red on the map that send an army every 25 years ana a cricket team every five,” said Mr Nutting. “ The Empire must work together. The challenge of our age is: Are we great enough, brave enough, and young enough to open the door to all this opportunity and expansion? I aim confident what our answer shall be.”

So great was the cheering at the end of Mr Nutting’s speech that he had to rise again and bow an acknowledgment.

Commander Allan Noble (Chelsea) told the conference that he had returned from a recent tour of the Empire with the conviction that there was nothing the British Commonwealth could not do if it took the trouble. The conference considered a resolution from the Truro division of the party which said: “While grudging,to no other States the right to make their own tariff arrangements, the

conference insists that Britain, the British Commonwealth, and the Empire must have full freedom to exercise the same right. It maintains that the Commonwealth's future safety - and prosperity depend upon a policy of Empire development under a system of mutual preference in its widest sense, covering industry, agriculture, finance, shipping, and aviation.” The tormer War Minister, Mr Leslie Hore-Belisha. said it would remain a mystery why the Socialist Government did not'make it its first act to call Commonwealth members together and confront them with the problems of the future, ask them to work together in peace as they had in war—the only group of nations to enter the war without being attacked and to remain in it from the first day to the last. Britain, by developing the Commonwealth group of nations, said Mr Hore-Belisha, could be stronger than America or Russia. Empire development was no exclusive policy, but one which stood to benefit Europe and the rest of the world. Mr Julian Amery, son of the exDominion Secretary. Mr L. S. Amery, said: .“First priority should be to develop with our own kith and kin in the Commonwealth new sources of those essential supplies which -we obtain to-day only through United States charity. “ Let our leaders proclaim their faith in the Empire, and the Conservatives will sweep the country.” Mr Harold Macmillan, winding up the debate, said he believed the people’s faith could be found in a united 'Empire and a united Europe. “ The British Empire can be the centre and pivot of the grand design.” he said.

With only two dissentients, the conference passed the Truro resolution.