PROBLEMS OF EMPIRE

Taranaki Daily News, 5 August 1930, Page 5

PROBLEMS OF EMPIRE

BUSINESS AND POLITICS A NEW ZEALANDER'S VIEWS. .PREFERENCE IN THE DOMINIONS. (From Our Correspondent.) London, J uno 1&. When the Prime Alinister had spoken at tho Imperial Press Conference tho New Zealand delegation was asked to supply a speaker to follow. Air. T. C. List was chosen. Air. AlacDonald' had delivered a speech, philosophical in tone and Imperial in spirit, which had met with a cordial reception. The appointment of a New Zealand speaker was not part of the set programme. It was England's friendly gesture towards the Dominion. Air. List opened by remarking tliat the speech they had heard that .day disposed completely of the idea entertained in some parts of the Empire that the Labour Party in Britain was iconoclastic in character; Mr. MacDonalds speech could just as appropriately have come from a Conservative leader. It only showed that in matters affecting the interests of the Empire all parties in Great Britain spoke’with the ono voice. _And this was all for the good of the Empire ae a whole, and at no time more so than at present, when the economic problems before them were of such a nature as merited the undivided attention of ail sections. He had been attending the Chambers of Commerce Conference the previous week and the fact was made clear there that all was not well with trade in the. Homelaml and that a new orientation towards Empire economics was not only desirable but imperative if the problems besetting them were to be solved. It had been stated at the conference referred to that economic .matters had in the past been the play of politicians when they should have received the attention of the commercial community. Whilst this perhaps was true in part; they must recognise that in the final analysis, economic pud other problems must be left to' constitutional authority, and be subject to political policies, • , But “there was no reason why commercial men ap.d political parties should not come together and discuss matters preparatory to legislative action. Here the Press .of the Empire could be of considerable help. Between the three surely, with such resources as the Empire, a solution could be found for- the present troubles. Air/ List proceeded to give some impressions of the attitude of Canada Cowards the Empire, stressing the tremendous influence exerted on its economic, financial and political -life by its great southern neighbour, and empha- . sising that despite all the temptations to which if was subject it was stronger in its loyalty to the Crown than ever it had been. This was shown lately by its tariff concessions to the Old Country. He could have honed Canada would have shown the same gesture towards New Zealand, instead of penalising the importation of practically the only commodity they could offer for the goods they were purchasing from Canada. He referred to the butter imports. Travelling through Canada and the other overseas Dominions, one was impressed. with the almost illimitable possibilities before the Empire. What was needed was a well considered scheme for the better distribution of population and the better use oi its financial resources. He alluded incidentally to the success of the English Public School boy immigration scheme inaugurated by New Zealand, in which 96 per cent of the boys had turned out suecesses, due largely to the care and the organisation shown in the selection and subsequent training. The success could be repeated on a bigger scale if they went about it in the right way. 9 The speaker then referred to the first impressions gained by the New Zealand delegates on arrival/ in England, and concluded by thanking the conference for the wqnderful hospitality and'consideration shown New Zealand.