Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, FRIDAY, NOV. 18, 1927. A PARTNER EMPIRE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16500, 18 November 1927, Page 6

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, FRIDAY, NOV. 18, 1927. A PARTNER EMPIRE

The old conceptions of Empire arc passing away. For centuries the terms "Imperial" and "Empire" roused memories of Home and of Charlemagne. It was Britain's privilege .to give these terms a less arrogant interpretation. For many generations, however, there were to bo found British citizens in various parts of the world who gave, to .their citizenship an imperious touch. Until far on into Victoria's reign there was n tendency to consider Britain's function to bo <a. world peacemaker by means of her Empire power, and in tho cause of

justice she frequently felt herself con- ' strained to draw the sword. Foreign policy and national defence were paramount considerations. This conception of Empire led to a considerable amount of jealousy and antagonism from other nations. Britain's Imperialism, however benevolent it might be, was always regarded with disfavor. Even to-day .there are those who having nothing worse to charge against England are continually fulminating about her "Imperialism.": We hear it in India, in Russia, in China, in Germany and the 'United •States. In Britain itself "Imperialism" has been a catch-cry of the extremists, but what a senseless cry it is? Those raising it have little knowledge of history or of the remarkable changes that have taken place in the Empire's unwritten constitution in recent years. Mr. L. C. Amery, in | one of his speeches in Melbourne a I few days ago, dwelt upon these changes, pointing out that there has been an abandonment of that conception of Empire in .which a central Government dominates the whole. Britain and her Dominions have but recently emerged from war, and are facing, as never before, problems such as tho development of industry, the building up of population overseas, and the maintenance of standards of living. The old-time Empire, he pointed out, was largely a compound of sentiment and a military organisation; the new Empire is a free fraternity of equals, and promises to be a compound of sentiment and a business partnership. Citizens will require to be educated for their new role. Such changes and their implications are not readily understood by the proverbial man in the street. There are citizens by no means deficient in intelligence who have not even yet a clear understanding of the conclusions reached at the last Imperial Conference. It will be only gradually, therefore, that Empire citizens will begin to contemplate their heritage from the more modern, moro commercial angle. But once the new conception has caught their imagination they are certain to apply to the solution of .the problems of peace -that ardor which they have ever displayed in the pursuit of righteous war. Mr. Amery revealed a full appreciation of the difficulties involved in the task of building up an Empire after tho modern pattern. Common as well as particular interests must naturally co-crist. At times they will seem to conflict. It is. to cope with that emergency that there is need for more Empire education, and for the reiteration of the idea that the Domiuions are partner nations. New Zealanders must recognise that their prosperity in the future will depend largely upon the prosperity of the Empire as a whole. Every means must be taken by our statesmen to develop the Empire and to exploit the full possibilities of inter-Imperial trade. That doctrine is being continually stressed at Home, and is meeting with a. very ready response. It was the principal subject for discussion at the recent Congress of Chambers of Commerce of the Empire held at Capetown at which. Lord Kyslant, in h'is presidential address, said: "The Government- look more and more to the Chambers of Commerce to ascertain the considered opinion of business men on problems of commercial development. In view of the competition in the world's markets and tho speeding up of communications, I am of opinion that Great Britain must organise for closer co-operation with the Chambers of Commerce of tho 'Empire, for purposes of obtaining and disseminating trade information and developing trade within the Empire. As one whose active business life has been devoted to this work I am profoundly impressed by the fact that at no time in our history has there been such universal and deep-consciousness of the immense possibilities of development of the resources of the great British Commonwealth of Nations. I am convinced that the time is ripe for a definite further advance towards a new era of progress." With hearty co-operation between the Homeland and the Dominions the Empire can be made truly great, and Mr. Amery predicts developments within the lifetime of the present generation which will be simply astounding.