ALL PARTIES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18896, 11 January 1927, Page 7

ALL PARTIES.

EMPIRE PARLIAMENTARY ASSOCIATION.

THE AUSTRALIAN CONFERENCE.

WR'jll CUB OITS COKBBSrOKMXT.)

LONDON, November 27

On his return to London, Sir Howard d'Egville pronounced the development of tho Empire-Parliamentary Conference idea to have been the most striking and significant feature of the visit of Parliamentarians to Australia.

! '■Hitherto," said Sir Howard to an j interviewer, "conferences between ! representatives of all the Parliaments j of the British Empire have only taken ! place .on any considerable scale in I London, and therefore it may bo said I that for the first time in the history of the British Empire, conferences of representatives of all parties in all Parliaments upon many matters of vital interest to the nations of the British Commonwealth have taken place in an overseas country. The general advantage of this from tho point of view of inter-Imperial relationships can scarcely be exaggerated, for here were gathered together members of Governments and Oppositions in both Commonwealth and State Parliaments and the visiting delegates from every other portion of the Empire possessing responsible Government, to deliberate on the big questions of the Empire, which were thus lifted entirely outside party politics. Indeed, the gathering was even wider, for the Central Legislature of India was represented for the first time in an Empire Parliamentary Association visit, and the contributions of one of the Indian delegates, Mr Shanmukham Chetty (Chief Whip of the Swaraj party) were among the most noticeable delivered at the conferences." ' ' Exchange of Ideas. Sir Howard remarked that it was the second session of the Canberra conference, when "The Dominions and Foreign Affairs" was discussed, that really indicated the practical help'towards an understanding and solution of some great Empire problems that might be afforded by non-party, or •'all party" Parliamentary conferences. On that occasion, Ministers, ex-Ministers, leaders of Opposition, and of other parties discussed the most delicate and important inter-Empire issues with an earnestness and candour and good feeling which provided an example to the world of the high development of Parliamentary institutions within the British Empire. "Of course," he continued, "it is obvious that these conferences cannot decide issues, which must be left to the Governments at the Imperial Conferences or otherwise; but they can, without any formal resolutions, afford opportunities of an exchange of ideas in preparation for action on lines which Governments may then understand, will receive support from an influential body of Parliamentary opinion. In speaking of this extension of the Parliamentary Conference idea, I do not wish to under-estimate the enormous va|lue to the delegations visiting Australia of the first-hand information they have gained as to the problems, opportunities,, and resources of a great sister nation. .. .It can safely be said that those who gave serious attention to the vast amount of information placed before them should, now have a far better idea of-the Commonwealth and its resources than most Australians."