KING’S SPEECH

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 10 December 1924, Page 7

KING’S SPEECH

GOVERNMENT’S POLICY.

CO-OPERATION WITH DOMINIONS,

TRADE PREFERENCE PROPOSALS. [The King’s Speech at the opening of the British Parliament sets out the Government’s policy. Singapore base is to be enlarged; the closest co-operation with the Dominions is to be a guiding principle; further preference to Empire imports is proposed; and measures for the improvement of conditions in the Old Country are mentioned.] BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION-COPYRIGHT ’■ (Received Dee. 10, 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 9. The King’s Speech states that the Government propose to proceed with the plans already made for enlarging the naval base at Singapore. PRINCE OF WALES. The King lias no doubt that the happy results of the Prince of Wales’ previous visits to the Dominions will •>e repeated in South Africa during the spring of 1925. The Prince of Wales will visit the Argentine in 1925 in response to an invitation from the President and the Government. GENEVA PROTOCOL. The Imperial and Dominions’ Governments have begun to examine the' disarmament protocol. RUSSIAN TREATIES. His Majesty is unable to recommend consideration of the recent AngloRussian Treaties. Normal intercourse between the two countries is possible by the strict fulfilment of conditions of friendly international intercourse, which has been repeatedly submitted to the Soviet. EMPIRE’S RELATIONSHIPS. The Government’s guiding principle will be the closest co-operation with the Dominions and Indian Governments, and would steadfastly adhere to the encouragement of Empire settlement and mutual trade. PREFERENCE PROPOSALS. Proposals will he submitted for granting further preference to Empire imports. DOMESTIC POLICY.

A Bill, will be introduced safeguarding industries, and provision will be made for the alleviation of unemployment arid relief of the housing shortage by the encouragement of new methods. Ministers are inquiring into; the possibility of'improving old age‘pensions and the pensioning of widowed mothers. Measures will be submitted to encourage the sugar beet industry, to provide the marking of imported foodstuffs, and to carry out the recommendations of the committee. on preservatives and colouring of food. —Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. ECONOMIC CONFERENCE. BILL TO CARRY OUT PROPOSALS. LONDON, Dec. 9. In the House of Commons’, Mr L. C. Amery gave notice of the introduction of a Bill carrying out- the Economic Conference proposals.—'Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.