IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1926, Page 13

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

reasons px)r its SUCCESS

PERSONAL UNDERSTANDING

OPINION OF MR. AMERY

>y r«l»e?mb—Vr«M Asm —CerrrljM. Deceived Dec. 17, 6:5 p.m. Loudon, Dee. 10.

“The Imperial Conference has been most tineceesful although at one moment success did not seem likely,” said Mr. L. C. M. 8. Amery (Secretary for the ■Dominions), addressing Hie Conetrtn•tional Club.

Ho recalled that Mr. Baldwin, at the reeent farewell dinner, confessed that he had approached the conference with some misgivings, and had even suggested to Mr. Amery the possibility of postponement. “I shared some of the Premiere misgivings.” continued Mr. Amery, “and felt that the Conference might be disappointing owing to the apparently widest divergence of views between the different Empire Governnmts regarding the constitutional issues, and because Britain was not ready to promote economic co-operation with large scale preferences, which was the greatest Imperial problem. “However, we separated in a. very dhierent spirit. The conference was perhaps most successful from the viewpoint of the intimate personal understanding which grew up between members. This enabled the heads of the different Empire Governments •to become friends, make allowances for persona) idioeyiicracies and take such factors into account when they see epeecheo and read telegrams in the periods between the conferences.

“The growth of mutual knowledge wae more marked at the reeent conference than at former conferences despite the fact of its members approaching problems at different angles. Moreover, thio personal goodwill, the desire tn co operate in reaching conclusions, the avoidance of anything approaching a division into two camps, besides the absence of any appeal to ths outside public, made the conference the beet of the many with which I have been connected.”