LATE WAR NEWS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 700, 9 May 1916, Page 11

LATE WAR NEWS.

IMPERIAL TRADE. NEED FOR NEW POLICY. SPEECH BY MR HUGHES. /?!/ Cnblr.—Press Association.—Copyright. (Received May !), 1.25 a.m.) ■ LONDON, May 8. The Australian Prime Minister (HI. Hon. W. M. Hughes) delivered a speech a! the opening of the Sugar Conference at Caxlon Hall. Delegates from India, Canada, the West Indies. Egypt, Natal, Mauritius, and Australia attended. Mr Hughes paid a tribute to the Empire producers' organisation as a sane businesslike attack on the sugar industry, which was blazing a trail towards a goal now plainly revealed. The conference was prompted by an instinct of commercial and national self-preservation. II was hoped to lay the corner-stone X)f a new and better edifice. Our commercial and industrial greatness were the immediate objective, in order to make the Empire independent of the enemy. There was no reason why the Empire should not supply its own sugar requirements. We were grown men and ought to put i away childish diversions. This pol-j icy had no relation to freetrade or '■ protection. They must approach the problem with an open and unpre- ! judiced mind, as a business proposition. The only considerations were j national safety and social welfare; under the existing policy. The Bri-; tish sugar industry had decayed. The popoulation of Britain was largely j industrial and got its foodTrom over- j seas. If the present policy were"per- j 'Sisted in, it would ultimately destroy J us. The fabric of British, industry, at the outbreak of war, rested on j an alien, and mostly enemy, basis, j The existing policy was responsible for discouraging our powerful navy. Everything necessary to save us had. been left undone. "That is my indictment against this policy," said Mr Hughes. "If we .are to-day masters of our own ; destiny, and thanks are not due to that policy, but to the providence of , resolute men, who kept their eyes . upon the beacon star of Empire and safety." Mr Hughes warmly drew attenj tion to the fact that the British Sugar Commission employs a purchasing agent with a German name. It was surely possible to find a man of our own race. There were naturalised Ge nans who had a better right to stand against a wall than the Sinn Fein leaders. Lord Denbigh said that the prospects of the beet sugar industry in Great Britain were brighter. AMERICAN NOTE. GERMANY'S ASSURANCE ACCEPTED. (Received May 9, 2.25 p.m.) WASHINGTON, May 8. The American Note to Germany accepts the assurance of an altered submarine policy, relying on its scrupulous execution for the maintenance of good relations. It refuses flatly to consent to a new policy contingent on the conduct of any other Government. LINER SINKING. CYMRIC IN TROUBLE. (Received May 9, 1.25 p.m.) LONDON, May 8. The Cymric is reported to be sinking. She carries no passengers. ['Hie Cymric is a While Star liner of 13,370 tons gross register.!