THE BIG QUESTION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17155, 4 October 1926, Page 7

THE BIG QUESTION

AT IMPERIAL CONFERENCE UNITY OF EMPIRE MR, BRUCE INTERVIEWED fElee. Tel. Copyrighlr-Dniteil Press Ar>sn.) (■Australian and N.Z. liable Association.) LONDON, October 1!. Australia's Prime Minister, Mr. S, M. Bruce has arrived at Paris after an enjoyable voyage. He said ho had been kept well posted with news Inwireless. Interviewed by French and British pressmen, be emphasised that Empire unity was the big question of the Imperial Conference. He was personally unaware of any scparationist ideas. He declined to give his views upon the questions the. conference ia to discuss. Mr. Bruce received art invitation tr. meet Mussolini, presumably to discuss the position of Italians in Australia, fin is unable to say at present whether lie will accept the invitation. INTEREST INCREASING NEWSPAPER COMMENT LONDON, October 3. With Mr. Bruce and', others journeying to London the. papers are beginning to give prominence to the Imperial Conference, J. L. Garvin, in a. long article in the Observer, declares that the old idea of attaining formal unity by any kind of centralising of the institutions at Westminster is dead and beyond redemption. Joseph Chamberlain's system of preferences, though partly applied and eapatife of extension, cannot achieve now all the results that were possible in his time, but other of his ideas of vitalising administration are as practicable .is ever. The conference will meet in a world more stable, more nearly normal than three years ago.

The Observer's diplomatic correspondent, says it would occasion pleasant irony if the question of the appointment of Canadian and Irish Ministers to Washington were countered, by a suggestion from Mr. Amery that all Dominions should appoint Ministers to London.