DOMINION POSSIBILITIES

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16906, 4 December 1922, Page 7

DOMINION POSSIBILITIES

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association (Received December 4, 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, December 3. Major E. A. Belcher has returned from his trip to the dominions. He said that he came back with unbounded faith in the practicability of making the Empire self-supporting. He agreed that the sooner Britain gave increased attention to developing track* within the Empire, instead of worrying about Central and Eastern European countries, the better it would bo ail round. He paid a tribute to the hospitality and assistance given throughout Australia and New Zealand, and expressed the opinion that Australia hail shown a more rapid and complete recovery from the effects of war than any other part of the Empire. He was impressed with the strides that. Australian cotton, growing was making, and said that lie believed that within fifteen years Australia would become the Empire's greatest cotton producer. Australia was undoubtedly now attracting a higher class of British immigrants than any other dominion. It would now be liis duty, Major Belcher said, to superintend the dominions’ side of the Imperial Exhibition. He meant to use every endeavour to see that the dominions gained the most valuable and practical beueI til from it. In reference to the controversy regarding the use of Empire products exclusively at the Exhibition restaurants. Major Belcher expressed the opinion that there should never have been the difference of view between the executive and Australian opinion, but the executive wanted to bo scrupulously careful, and would give no promise which it. could not fulfil to the letter. There were infinite difficulties in changing over within a moment from the system, under which world supplies were available to a system of exclusive Empire supplies. Caterers were scared to death by any sort of conditions or restrictions. Nevertheless, he was confident that the problem would he settled to the complete satisfaction of the dominions.