EMPIRE AND DOMINIONS.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16750, 17 March 1926, Page 7

EMPIRE AND DOMINIONS.

INADEQUATE MACHINERY. LABOUR PARTY'S COMMENTS. MANY GRAVE DIFFICULTIES. (Australian ana tf.Z. Gable Assn.) LONDON, March 15. The present machinery for Empire consultation on foreign affairs is radically defective, consisting of an Imperial Conference meeting once in four years, whose, recommendations must bo submitted to Empire Parliaments. Imperial Economic Conferences have even less power than the High Commissioners who, except as sources of trade information, have been largely a failure," says the Labour Party's report on Empire policy." Despite the recognition of the Dominions' independent status such as League of Nations' membership, separately signing peace treaties, right of consultation "on foreign policy, and even the right to secede, the gravest difficulties have risen since the war, shewing inadequate co-ordination. The Russo-Polish crisis of 1022, Chanak and Locarno are examples of commitments made without Dominion participation. The report states it is desirable to organise a system of interchangeabllity between the Anglo-Dominion public services, and adds: "While Socialists did not recognise the traditional fidelity to free trade, nor favour the crudities of protection preferences, there was a strong case to consider a special arrangement with the Dominions, provided they did not provoke international dissensiun."

The report, suggests group migration of at least 200 families, with cooperative ownership of land and machinery. The report also recommends that the Suez Canal should be internationalised.