IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15358, 5 October 1923, Page 5

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

A TWO HOURS' SITTING.

SYSTEM OF PUBLICITY.

METHODS OF BUSINESS.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn. LONDON, October 3

The Imperial Conference held a two hours' sitting to-day. It was chiefly occupied by a statement by the Duke of Devonshire on the progress and development of the Crown colonies and mandated territories, and by speeches of the Dominion delegates thereon. The Conference agreed upon a system of publicity, but it is understood that Lord Curzon's statement on foreign policy on Friday will not be published.

Sir W. H. Davison, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, has been placed in charge of tho publicity arrangements. He will hold a conference once, or perhaps twice, daily with the press representatives. Questions of foreign policy will be handled by the full Conference, but other questions will be remitted in the first place to committees. The Conference decided to establish a general secretariat on which all delegates will be represented.

ENORMOUS POSSIBILITIES. Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn. LONDON, October 3. Mr W. G. Ormsby-Gorc, Secretary of State'for the Colonics, on behalf of the colonies and British protectorates, pointed out that it was the first time they were represented. In impressing the importance of these colonies and protectorates, he showed that the population exceeded fifty million people, of whom approximately forty millions belonged to the African races under British protection. He dwelt on their enormous potentialities as sources for the supply of raw materials and as markets for imported goods. He asserted that a Conference, which merely concerned itself with economic relations and commerce between Britain and her Dominions, would leave out of the picture increasingly important considerations. He instanced the development of mutual trade between New Zealand and Fiji, and declared that Britain was especially alive to the need for becoming less dependent on America for cotton, sugar, and tobacco. "Now," said he, "we have to meet the American war debt," and mentioned as an example of the diversion of Empire products that hardly an ounce of copra from Samoa was shipped to Britain. Practically all was bought by Hamburg and utilised in Germany.

Better internal and external transport facilities, and better education in the production, marketing and training of the native producer were urgently needed for the protection of materials obtainable within the Empire. There was also a real demand ifor capital and the spirit of commercial adventure formerly characteristic,, of the British peoples, otherwise others would step in and reap the profits and advantages.

{MANDATED LANDS. NEW ZEALAND AND SAMOA. MR MASSEY'S STATEMENT. Australian and N.Z. Gable Assn. LONDON, October. 3. The Imperial Conference to-day held a fitting that lasted two hours, chiefly occupied by a statement by the Duko of Devonshire, secretary of Slate for Colonial Affairs, on progress and development -of the Crown Colonies and the mandated territories.

The Duke of Devonshire emphasised that the moral and material progress development of the colonics and protectorates of the mandated territories was increasingly important to all partners in the British Empire. The Colonial Office constantly endeavoured to foster the interest of the Dominions therein, and to stimulate inlerImpcrlal trade. Tho colonics and protectorates were still suffering from trade depression, but generaly were pulling through. The financial positions of same of the smaller colonies were a constant source of anxiety, but the indications were that the larger tropical areas, for which the Colonial Offlco was responsible, were recovering but much remained to be done before the trade of the colonies would be satisfactory. We must look to interImperial trade to regain at least part of the ground lost in recent years. Proposals would be submitted to the Economic Conference with the object of increasing inter-Imperial trade with the tropical possessions and fostering their development, but the action of Ihc Governments must be reinforced by private capital enterprise. A committee under the chairmanship of the Earl of Ronaldshay was exploiting this all-important aspect of tho question. Jt was expected thai the British Empire Exhibition would open the eyes of the world to the tremendous material resources of the British Empire. New Zealand and Fiji Trade.

After reviewing the progress of the colonies, protectorates, and mandated territories, the Duke of Devonshire concluded by welcoming any advice and counsel from any delegate in handling the large and complex responsibilities of the Colonial Office, and added that Fiji suffered from the loss of the Australian market for suger and fruit, but thanks to New Zealand, which now took the bulk of their sugar crpo, these islands, which were greatly important to our Imporial position in the Pacific, had passed the worst. He had recently learned with interest that there was expectation of important new developments in trade and shipPing, communications between Canada and Fiji, which could not but be of mutual benefit to both. The demand might attract both .capital and labour to the 3oulh Pacific Group.

All the representatives of the Dominions and of India took part in the discussion following the Duke of Dcvonshire's address. Mr \V. L. Mackenzie King spoke in reference to the West Indies, Mr Massey in reference to Somoa and the Cook Islands, General Smuts on the African territories, Mr Warren on Labrador and the Indian rcpresentlivo in regard to Kenya. Samoa and Cook Islands. Mr Massey aroused the enthusiasm of the Imperial Conference by his exposition of the successful administration of Samoa and the Cook Islands. He sold those countries had made the greatest progress in their history, under New Zealand's protection and control. Production increased, and the Governmental administration stabilised. The natives were prosperous and contented, and their grievances were promptly redressed. He was glad to assure the conference thai Samoa was developing satisfactorily in every way under New Zealand's guidance.