VITAL IMPORTANCE

Taranaki Daily News, 22 March 1935, Page 5

VITAL IMPORTANCE

EMPIRE MEAT PROBLEM AUSTRALIAN DELEGATION MR. LYONS ON HIS WAY LONG VIEW OF POSITION By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Naples, March 20. Leaving no time to admire the beauties of Naples on a spring dawn, Mr. J. A. Lyons, Australian Prime Minister, and his party, who are on their way to London, soon after the arrival of the Otranto at 7 a.m. hurriedly left for Rome by a train specially arranged to start from the quayside in order to ensure connecting with the express for the north. / . Mr. Lyons told the Australian Press Association that on the meat question little could be said at the moment. Indeed, little could be gained and much possibly lost by making public utterances at the present.

“The delegation has come fully armed with facts, its case, and the views of Cabinet, but it has come prepared to discuss the matter in the friendliest terms. We realise that the subject is of vital importance to the Empire as a whole. We shall endeavour to take a long view of the problem. We have placed all our cards on the table, as the British Government has done, and during the voyage we have had constant wireless communication with Australia and London, so we are fully informed of the situation.”

Mr. Lyons added; “I should like to pay a tribute to the very strenuous work done under difficult conditions by officials of the delegation aboard. “I trust that from the visit will emerge an arrangement which will benefit the Empire as a whole. The immense importance of the livestock industry to Australia has never been absent from my mind. ' “I feel honoured to represent the Commonwealth at the King’s jubilee celebrations. There is not the slightest doubt that in this part of the mission, at any rate, I have behind me the solid weight of the entire public opinion of Australia.”

Mr. and Mrs. Lyons were affected by the heat in the tropics, but crisp weather in the Mediterranean restored them to the best of health.