BRITAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 March 1916, Page 5

BRITAIN.

TRADE AFTER THE WAP* •- OPINION OF THE TIMES. London, March 9. The Timr?, in a leader, says the moment is at hand for settling the trade, policy in concert with the Dominions and our allies. Mr. Aequith recently spoke in very encouraging terms of Mr. Hughes' visit and the prospects of arriving at a complete understanding with the dominions. Mr. IJnghes' visit is not confined to trade policy. On the way .Home he conferred with Sir R. Borden. The joint conference of the Allied Powers will begin in Paris with the object of supplementing and completing the military pact by nn economic one. We may be sure the French mean business and Britain expects equally decisive and vigorous action from its Government. Some tilings do not depend on the termination of the war and must be taken in hand immediately. The first and foremost is the closer union of tile Empire and the Mother Country. The dominions are equally resolved on this. Our allies would Tejoiee and our enemies be correspondingly disturbed. The second object is an economic alliance, which will shake our enemies' tottering credit. The third development is home production, making the country more selfsupporting. The report from Zurich relating to trade unionists is a German lie intended •to prejudice Swiss munition workers against coming to Britain. MR. HUGHES' VISIT. MEETS THE KING AND CABINET. Received March 10, 8.30 p.m. London, March 9. King George gave an audience to Mr. Hughes, and subsequently Mr. Hughes attended a Cabinet meeting, Mr. Asquith introducing him to the other Cabinet Ministers, who were present at the deliberations. ENTERTAINED FIN 15 SPEECH BV MR. BONAR LAW. Mr. Hughes afterwards attended n Parliamentary luncheon in his honor, when Mr. Bonar Law, in a speech welcoming liim to Britain, said that there had been many war surprises, but the enemy's greatest surprise was the additional strength the dominions gave to the Empire. Australasia and Canada were no more loyal to' Britain than Britain was loyal to them, and the dominions had realised that the battle was as much for them as for Britain, involving, as it did. everything they hold dear and everything that goes to make life worth living. Any Government which did not bring victory was inevitably criticised. The people of Britain had the power in their own hands, but the dominions were different. They had poured forth their money and had sacrificed the lives of the best of their men, yet they had neither say nor control as to the way in which this money and these lives were spent. Their criticism might have been a very different and more dftngerous thing considering the existing state of affairs whereby the dominions give so much and have so little control. EMPIRE MUST BE CONSOLIDATED. This cannot be permanent; things after the war cannot remain the same. The war has shown that the Empire is one in spirit and action, therefore means should be found to make it one in structure for all time. Personally, Mr. Bonar Law said, he believed that the future would depend on the action of the dominions. The Mother Country would welcome almost any scheme of which they approve, and they would probably find it as easy to take a big step as a little one. THE MEANING OF EMPIRE. 'MR. HUGHES IN REPLY. Mr. Hughes, in replying, reviewed the events of the war. The Germans saw prospects of rich loot, and were buoyed up with the hope, not especially of the downfall of Britain, but of the commercial and industrial domination of the earth. Reviewing the hold the Germans had on the trade of the Empire. Mr. Hughes said we had lived in a fool's paradise. It was futile to bewail this, and it would be criminal not to learn wisdom from it. Regarding the relations of the dominions and the Mother Country, 'he hoped to see a policy evolved that would make the word "Empire" mean something more than it had in the past. If we can establish for ever a Federation of Empire it would ensure the peace of the world. Britain had been expanding her commercial and industrial position at the expense of national safety, imagining that there was no relation between them. BRITAIN'S .DEPENDENCE ON THE DOMINIONS. Britain's absolute dependence for her very existence turned upon the possession of raw material and munitions, yet she had bound herself body and soul to the German octopus that was controlling copper, zinc, and lead. We would be worse than fools if we did not learn a lesson from the manner in which we had been betrayed. Everything must be subordinate to the destruction of Germany's control of British trade, and by that means to strike a blow at Germany would be more important than a decisive land battle. When the war is decided Germany's opportunities for world dominion must disappear for ever. Mr. F. M. B. Fisher New Zealand exMinister of Marine} proposed the health of the chairman. ■NO SECRETS. ■Mr. Bonar Law announced that during his visit the Government would withhold nc secrets from Mr. Hughes. This is regarded as indicating that Mr. Hughes is invited to share in the highest councils whenever dominion subjects are discussed. THE PARIS CONFERENCE. London, March 9. The Financial Times says that the visit of Mr. Hughes (Federal Prime Minister) is the most important and significant Imperial event of the year, for he will attend the Paris Conference. If the conference results iu an understanding -for a joint commercial policy with our colonies it will be instrumental in creating the most formidable commercial league the world has ever seen. 'Mr. Bonar Law, in the course of his address at the luncheon in honor of Mr. Hughes, extended an invitation to the colonies to participate in the cpuacfls -,j>f the £m£ir%

THE NAVY. I MR. CTTCfiCHILL DEFENDS HIMSELF.' Times and Sydney Sun Services, A deceived March 10, 5.5 p.M, London, March ff. In the House of Commons, Mr. Churchill, defining his statement of yesterday, said that his feelings of disquietude arose from doulit as to whether the battleship and destroyer programme was being worked to arranged dates or revised dates. There was no reason to suppose that our margin of strength was insufficient at the present time, but the greatest efforts must be made to carry out the naval programme at the highest possible speed. He had made the First Lord a present of all the rhetorical retorts derivable from his relations with Lord Fisher. But the real fact was that if Lord Fisher could be associated in some way with the carrying out of his (Lord Fisher's) own programme, it would be greatly to the public advantage. Mr, J. M. Hogge protested against the dispute, and blamed Mr, Churchill for returning to the House and starting a hare, which had got .a good start and would not easily be caught. Mr. Churchill's friends insist that he came to London not intending to make more than a short speech, urging an 'aggressive air policy against German hangars. Hie wife and mother implored ■him to adopt an outspoken attitude. Owing to Mr. Churchill's adventurous audacity, everybody is looking for intrigue behind the speech. PARTY COMMENT. Comments are generally on party lines. The Manchester Guardian declares that Mr. Churchill received full information about the new Admiralty work and the condition of Lord Fisher's shipbuilding programme, whereupon he felt hound to make serious disclosures. The Guardian admits that it is absurd to seek petty personal motives, Mr. Churchill does not desire to leave the army, and the speech was a public warning against anything of the kind, and was not uttered without a deep sense of responsibility.