DOMINION PREMIERS.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 23 December 1926, Page 7

DOMINION PREMIERS.

ACTIVITIES ABROAD. (Per Press Association —Copyright.) PARIS, December 22. Mr and Mrs Coates and party visited Caterpillar Valley cemetery, where the names of 1200 unidentified New Zealanders are inscribed on a screen on the wall, also the mimes of 400 unidentified soldiers on a wall at Grevillers cemetery. The party thence followed the route of the New Zealanders’ attack and visited the cemeteries at Vauxball, Bancourt, Bonsoir, and Romereis. The Deputy-Mayor of le Quesnoy received the Prime Minister, and a number of citizens joined in the procession to the Now Zealand memorial garden. When the party reached Cambrai the Mayor called at their hotel, and presented a bouquet to Mi’s Coates. LONDON, December 21. Sir Joseph Cook presided at a representative gathering at Australia House for the farewell luncheon to Mr Bruce. Those present included Colonel Amery. Lord Burnham, the AgentsGeneral, Sir Henry Galway, Mr Gepp, Mr Arthur Henderson, Sir Douglas Hogg. Hou. J. G. Isitliam, Sir Douglas Mawson, Sir Newton Moore, Su Mathew Nathan, Lord Ruddell, the Marquis of Salisbury, Sir Mark Sheldon, and Lord Stanley. Sir Joseph Cook read a letter oi apology from Lord Balfour, in which the writer expressed the highest opinion of Air Bruce’s statemansbip. Sir Joseph Cook paid a tribute to Air Henderson’s and Lord Salisbury’s work m Australia, and emphasised the remarkable, prophetic character of Air Bruce’s utterance at the luncheon proceeding the Conference. Air Bruce was faced by arduous tasks, including the transfer of the Federal capital, but with the turning of the year, indicated by the shortest day, the Empire, including Australia, faced a bright and prosperous future. Colonel Amery, proposing the toast of Mr Bruce’s health extolled his great part in the Conference, and wished him a happy’ journey. Sir Douglas Hogg recalled that Air Bruce once studied in his chambers. He regretted he had not foreseen that Mr Bruce would develop into a groat Primo Minister. Air Bruce was received with cheers when he rose, the audience standing. He said: "I know what will happen when I return—my friends will say ‘you have hud a good holiday; I suppose you are ready to do your work.’ I regret it should have been said that a new era will dawn on the Empire with my departure. (Laughter). Sir Douglas. Hogg would have been a much greater man if he had grasped the tart that his future Prime Alinister was the worst, most incompetent and laziest pupil lie ever had. Lord Salisbury’s and Air Henderson’s observations will be of the greatest value tc Australia and the Empire. The Conference, which found a solution acceptable to all parts of the Empire, was held at just the right moment. AVe have read with the protoundest satisfaction of General Hertzog’s reception in South Africa where an unprecedented spirit of cooperation has been created. Lord Balfour was the outstanding figure ot the Conference in solving our political and constitutional troubles. As in the past, British commonsenao overcame the utter lack of logic in the course we had pursued, and so it will triumph in the future. Up to the last, three months, India was the Empire’s greatest customer; to-day Australia’s and New Zealand’s 7,090.009 had obtained precedence, defeating every ether people on earth. The Empire is awakening to the possibilities of its future. I was somewhat. alarmed three years ago by our spirit of facile and rather shallow optimism, but whenever wo have faced difficulty we have overcome it. A’et we have always given ourselves a hell of a lot of unnecessary trouble by awaitinv the emergency instead of foreseeing it. Fortunately that tendency is disappearing; we have realised that we cannot rely on the good God to attain our objects for us; we must do it ourselves. I leave England with the absolute belief that during the next three years we will see progress hitherto unexampled. AVe must main tain the Imperial spirit in the intervals between the conferences. I hope if I am permitted to return hither. I will experience a rep.-tition of the courtesy and hos.iiitaliiy to Australia and m.vself." Lei f Jurnham, proposing the toast of the chairman, said Sir Joseph Cook "as .t British institution—as popular in Britain as in Australia—nn excellent citizen of the Empire—distinguished by tile essential quality of bonhomie. “On behalf of the Empire Press, I convey to Air Bruce a farewell message of goodwill,” said Lord Burnham. ‘‘Australia is lucky is having so pleasing a personality as Air Bruce’s to embody its patriotism.” Sir Joseph Cook, responding, wished everybody the compliments of the I season. Air Bruce made a significant utter

ance at a farewell gathering at Australia House in connection with education and the stimulation of Imperial opinion, when he said: “The Inter-Imperial sentiment must not only be built up from the point at which the last Imperial Conference trt niiii.-itcd. but must bo kept alive in th*, interval. This can be compassed by t'hiexchange of the right people. Much had been said .-iboiit interchanging teachers and others. I suggest those with the greatest power to educate public, opinion, namely the Press representatives, shopld be exchanged trom Australia with English journalists, ano vice-versa. That would accomplish' much. In that manner we could pre grcssivcly educate the people to ensure the spirit of co-operation.” Lord Burnham said: “The suggestion which Air Bmce haindicated has already been made. V.'* have nor yet been able to carry it out. but I am persuaded that it can bo done if wc have his inspiration on the Australian side, as well as our own following on this.”