MR AMERY SUGGESTS NON-PARTY CONFERENCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19108, 28 June 1930, Page 1

MR AMERY SUGGESTS NON-PARTY CONFERENCE.

(United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) RUGBY, June 26. In the course of a debate in the House of Commons on the vote for the Dominions Office, Mr L. S. Amery, who w T as Dominions Secretary in the late Conservative Government, suggested that, at the Imperial Economic Conference, the leading representatives of every party should be present. He appealed to the Secretary for the Dominions, Mr J. H. Thomas, also to deal with all the proposals with an absolutely open mind, and to give an assurance that no methods or subjects would be barred from discussion. Mr Thomas said that, speaking for himself and the Government, they would exclude nothing from their considerations. They would discuss everything on its merits and with a singleminded desire to do all possible, not only in the interests of their own country, but in the interests of the Empire as well. So far as he could see, the only thing likely to be excluded was the referendum, because there was no mention of that on the agenda. As to the suggestion that representatives of the Opposition should attend the conference, Mr Thomas said that if the dominions were agreeable the Govern- ; ment would welcome it.