NOTHING NEW

Southland Times, Issue 20043, 3 December 1926, Page 7

NOTHING NEW

INTER-IMPERIAL RELATIONS. CONFERENCE COMMITTEES REPORT. London, December 1. zXddresKng the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, Mr Bruce, referring to the report of the Inter-Imperial Relations Committee, presented at the Imperial Conference, emphasised that it created nothing new. The Conference had not attempted to re-shape the Empire, its only creation being to produce a clear understanding of the position. The report said nothing which was not true before it was written. It had been said that the report had stressed autonomy rather than unity, and paved the way for disintegration rather than co-opera-tion. This view was more apparent than real. Unity had always existed, and had been taken for granted. Autonomy had been emphasised because it was there that changes had come and definition had become necessary. Australia was not going to be content with one-sided development—to be a food producer and buy all her manufactures from Britain. England had made the tragic mistake of one-sidedness, with the result that the revival of agriculture was one of her greatest problems. They were determined in Australia to build up at any cost industries essential for defence in war time, and, secondly, other industries best suited to their circumstances. In the meantime Australia offered great opportunities for British manufacturers.—A. and N.Z.