A FINAL DECISION

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12077, 22 June 1932, Page 5

A FINAL DECISION

MR. COATES WILL GO TO OTTAWA ALSO AIR. DOWNIE STEWART. Electric Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, Last Night. At the close of a Cabinet meeting at 11.30 to-night, Air Forbes announced that a final decision had been reached in regard to New Zealand’s representation to Ottawa and that the delegation will consist of _ Messrs Coates and Downie ■Stewart. “As stated in my announcement of June 7th,” said M>r Forbes, “1 always stressed the extreme importance of the Ottawa Conference both to the Empire as a whole and this Dominion individually. It is for tliis reason that in my opinion New Zealand should be represented by tile strongest delegation it is possible to send and that both leaders of the Government should attend if at all feasible. It was felt by all the members of Cabinet that the Minister of Employment should be free to withdraw if he found as the date of departure approached that his presence here was more necessary than at Ottawa, “Mr Coates is entitled to make it clear that he hud not only indicated to Cabinet that this was his attitude, but that he had also in his reply to the pressing request cf the primary producers, made it equally clear that he would not leave New Zealand unless he felt and unless Cabinet agreed that circumstances permitted. “The problems of the country are admitted pressing,” continued Mr Forbes, “and it was agreed by Cabinet that notwithstanding the importance of the Ottawa deliberations it was desirable that one of the leaders should remain in New Zealand. It would appear that this is not necessarily a Prime Ministers’ Conference and as in my opinion my duty primarily lies in New Zealand it has become more necessary that Air Coates should, in company with the Minister of Finance and Customs, represent New Zealand at Ottawa. “Air Coates has accordingly, at to-night’s meeting, met the expressed wish of all the members of Cabinet and has finally consented to head the delegation. Cabinet has decided upon the general lines of its policy for Ottawa and is in complete agreement upon the representations to he made on behalf of the Government.”