A SELF-CONTAINED EMPIRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3012, 24 February 1917, Page 9

A SELF-CONTAINED EMPIRE

AFTER-WAR PROBLEMS

MR. MASSEY'S VIEW

(Eec.'' February 23, 7.30 p.m.)

London, February 23. The Marquis of Graham, in his opening address from the Chair at the Empire Produce Association's luncheon to Mr. Massey (Prime Minister of New Zealand), said tllat L&rd- Balfour of Burleigh's Committee's report was tho first milestone in the Empire's reorganisation. The second to be kept m view was the union of capital and labour. It was no use having preference unless capital and labour benefited. . They must dispel the idea that the tariff meant that an employer would get. richer and the worker poorer. Mr. Massey said: ' 'We are beginning to see that it is better to develop our own resources and provide our own re.; quirements than to purchase' from countries which might at some time use their advantage against us." Lord Balfour of Burleigh's report was i vindication of the late Mr. Chamberlain's policy. All were agreed that it would be a mistake to return to the pre-war policy. There was ho doubt that Germany would enter into an economic contest after the war. Therefore he hoped that the Paris Conference decisions would not be lost sight of. Tho Empire could produce everything requisite for its sustenance. After Sir Edward Carson's statement in tho House, ho felt satisfied that Germany would never wrest tho control of the sea from us. There must bo i> complete reorganisation of industrial and economic methods. We would have to see that the men who were entrusted with Imperial affairs understood them, and know something more about the Empire than they " could learn in the United Kingdom alone. New Zealand could greatly increase her output of dairy produce areas. He believed that the forthcoming Imperial Conference would effectively deal with, the preference question.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.