EMPIRE UNITY

Otago Witness, Issue 3714, 19 May 1925, Page 66

EMPIRE UNITY

SIR A. M. MYERS’S SUGGESTION. (Fbom Oub Own Correspondent.) LONDON, March 14. Speaking at the Royal Colonial Institute the. other night Sir Arthur M. Myers mentioned that the three great links that bind our Empire together were the King, the Common Lsw, and Commerce. He suggested that as there is always one judge from each dominion on furlough, it might be desirable for him to sit on the Judicial Committee cf the Privy Council while in London to hear overseas cases. Since tho lecture I have spoken with Sir Arthur on this subject. “As a layman.” he said, “ I naturally feel a diffidence in elaborating what is a highly important legal matter, but as one who has for many years advocated and strongly urged the desirableness of personal consultation from the political point, of view in order to prevent misunderstanding between the Mother Country and the representatives of the dominions, it appears to me that, as tho law is one of th© great factors in binding our Empiro together. every effort should be made—especially in view of what has recently occurred in Canada in connection with that dominion’s registration of the Halibut Treaty with the League of Nations—to provide an opportunity for thoso responsible in tho highest council of the Empiro for tho administration of Justice, to come in contact with the judges of the dominions. The result, should be beneficial in further strengthening the bonds of Empire. ‘ Of course,” added Sir Arthur, ‘ I cannot express any opinion as to whether the Privy Council would welcome the presence of dominion judges, or whether tho latter woufQ care to carry out responsibilities when on furlough. Any further action, if my suggestion commends itself, must be taken up by those concerned.”