BUDGET DEBATE

Southland Times, Issue 20664, 20 April 1929, Page 7

BUDGET DEBATE

DOMINIONS VOTE

LABOUR AMENDMENT REJECTED

PROBLEMS FOR GOVERNMENT

(United Tress Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.)

London, April IS.

In the House of Commons, speaking on the Dominion Office vote, Mr J. H. Thomas (Labour) said that it had been declared that if Labour were returned disintegration of the Empire was inevitable.

A Conservative member: What about last night ?

Mr Thomas said that there would be no running away from that. The time was long past when the Union Jack could be considered a prerogative of a particular party. The suggestion of disintegration could best be answered by the record of Labour while in office, and also what were its intentions when returned to power in June. He quoted the settlement of the Irish Free State difficulty, how Imperial unity had been dealt with, and also the Indian problem. In South Africa, Labour had been misrepresented on migration He did not suggest migration as a solution of unemployment, but it was nndeniable that it could be made an effective contribution thereto. “We must face the real difficulties of the position,” he said. “Australia and New Zealand must, be asked to apply themselves to the problem as it. affects them.” Labour’s main object, if returned, would not be the disintegration of the Empire, but the consolidation and progress of a heritage of which we were all proud. He moved that the original vote be reduced by £lOO. Mr Amery Replies. The Secretary of State for the Colonies and Dominions, Mr Amery, agreed that an overwhelming majority of members of all parties regarded the Empire as a great problem. Labour had not always helped in the direction of a continuity of the Empire policy. The Imperial Economic Conference in 1923 made an agreement with the dominions which it believed did not materially depart from Britain’s fiscal policy, but Mr Philip Snowden differed from it in 1924, causing discontinuity, which was resented in many parts of the Empire. Similarly the Imperial Conference, after the fullest consideration, decided that Singapore Base was necessary for Imperial naval continuation, but the Labour Government did not carry out the continuity policy. Mr Ramsay Macdonald’s suggestion that the Imperial Conference should include representatives of the oppositions as well as the Governments was impossible owing to all the dominion Governments disapproving. Mr Amery agreed that whenever possible non-party elements should be brought in. The very fact that unity of the Empire under the Crown was free and unfettered made it more imperative that there should be inter-communication and frequent personal consultation. The Government had developed daily communications, keeping ihe dominions in touch with every aspect of foreign affairs. More important still, it kept in close personal touch with the High Commissioners on big issues. While the experiment of dominions’ representatives at foreign capitals was regarded by many as a doubtful experiment, it was proving of great value. Empire Settlement.

Regarding migration, Mr Amery said that since the passing of the Empire Settlement Act 390,000 migrants had gone to the dominions and the majority had made good. During the past four years 215,000 had been assisted to the dominions, and 170,000 had gone unassisted. One of the first, things the new Government would have to do would be to see if the Empire Settlement Act needed amendment and that the machinery of the Overseas Settlement Committee be improved. Britain’s purchases of Empire products had increased by eleven per cent, since the war. Mr Snowden seemed to be Labour's rogue elephant on the subject of the Empire as well as other subjects. In the course of a recent, article in the Press entitled “Empire Bleeding Britain.” Mr Snowden had poured contempt on Empire trade and described the Empire Marketing Board as an unnecessary waste and Imperial preference as sheer humbug. Mr Snowden had said that the British manufacturer was being excluded from the Dominion markets while the British taxpayer was paying expensively to advertise dominion products. Mr Snowden had gone on to complain that Australia bought £56,500,000 worth of goods from foreign countries and £69,000,000 worth from Britain. Mr Amery emphasized that no foreign, country took anything like such a large proportion of British goods. Mr Thomas said he had not seen the article, but Mr Snowden, who was absent, should not be judged on a few disjointed extracts. “I have no doubt that. Mr Snowden had no intention of repudiating the Empire (Laughter), but was nutting his own construction on a very difficult problem,” said Mr Thomas. Sir Archibald Sinclair (Liberal) said that the migration of the flower of our manhood was disastrous. Britain should conserve her racial capital by encouraging land settlement here. The dominions’ vote was carried without division. —Australian Press Association.