MR. HUGHES DEPARTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 August 1921, Page 5

MR. HUGHES DEPARTS.

THE LAST INTERVIEW. VISIT TO FRANCE. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. London. August 23 Mr. Hughes, interviewed by the Australian Press Association, expressed Shis intention to obtain a substantial reduction in the Australian contribution to the League of Nations. It is flagrantly unfair that Australia, with a population of five millions, should be contributing the same amount as Britain, with forty-five millions. He admitted that Australia had agreed to the terms of membership on the ioration of the League, but he had not anticipated that the terms would be interpreted to mean equality of contribution from Britain and Australia, irrespective of population. Mr. Hughes left London this morning. There was a great crowd to bid him farewell., including representatives of the British Government and the Commonwealth officers, who cheered Mr. Hughes, and he waved in response. Received August 24, 9.15 p.m. London, August 24. The Morning Post, in an editorial, cays: “It k because Mr. xiughes is a true friend of Britain that he has so many detractors here. The sneers, censure ' and incorrigible hostility of the Radical Pre-s would have been spared him. would indeed have been changed to effusive compliment, if only he had beeh our embittered enemy, steeped in sedition and even crime. British Radicalism’s sour perversity could not be better illustrated than by contrasting its regard for Mr. Hughes with that it shows for such men as Gandhi and De Valera. If Mr. Hughes had not come to cement the Empire, but in order to snap the last link between Britain and the Dominions, how the Radical Press and party would have slobbered over him.”

Mr. Hughes crossed the Channel yesterday to Boulogne, where he was web corned by the French authorities. He visited Amiens and inspected memorials to Australian soldiers. He tours the battlefields to-day and to-morrow, arriving in Paris to-morrow night. He confers with the French Government on Friday. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.