“COMMON TRADITION.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17573, 25 June 1925, Page 8

“COMMON TRADITION.”

PRESS OF THE EMPIRE. DELEGATES FAREVVELLED. TTy Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. a > Reuter's Telegrams. (Received June 25. 1 p.m.) LONDON, June 21. Sir Harry Brittain presided at a largely attended luncheon in the House of Commons to the Imperial Press Conference delegates and read a letter from Mr Baldwin wishing the delegation success and saving that no doubt the conference would be productive of as good results from the viewpoint of Imperial co-operation as the Ottawa and London conferences. Mr Amery, Secretary of State for the Colonies, in proposing the toast of the delegation and recalling the profoutvl effect of the 1900 conference, asserted that the Press of the whole Empire had a great common tradition, making the Press of the English-speaking world stand higher and have greater faith in its own mission than the Press of any other country. The curious collection of Governments that was called the Empire ” was kept together not so much by constitutional machinery as by an idea, the strength of which laV in looking forward, not behind. British peoples were animated by a great conception of what they could do bv _rputual co-operation, encouragement and defence, not only of economic welfare of the Empire, but of ideals they prized so highly. \ iscount Burnham, responding, addressed Mr Amery as “Secretary of State for the Dominions ” which raised cheers. He criticised the action of the Imperial Treasury in postponing the reduction of Press cable rates to Australia. He paid a tribute to the V* estern Union Cable Company for the increase in its facilities. They had believed they were on the eve of a reduction in the present high rates, which were one of the reasons given for the news on both sides being allegedly tinsatisfactory. Unfortunately, this would be put off at least till after the Press Conference. It was a little unfortunate just before they went away, when an agreement had apparently been reached, that the authorities at the Treasury should have put their foot down and say that the matter should stand over at present. It was not merely a question of gain to the newspapers, but a reduction that would greatly help those who were trying to give fuller service of news and comments. There might have been faults on their side, but when they tried to correct and amend them, they looked for a little more cooperation on the part of the Government at Home. Without it, it was quite impossible to do what they hoped, increasing the luminous unity 9f the great commonwealth.