EMPIRE POLICY

Hokitika Guardian, 3 February 1920, Page 3

EMPIRE POLICY

ALLEGED SI4OFIT TO DOMINIONS--1002 IMPERIAL CONFERENCE NEVER INTENDED. WELLINGTON, January 30. In the course of .an interview with a “Times” representative yesterday the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey) made reference to the cabled statement by Mr Keith Murdoch, published in Wednesday’s paper, that the expectations of the Imperial Conference being held in 19(20 are dwindling, that a'leading Minister connected'with the Colonial Office, 1 admitted iri conversation thit the theory that the Domiotons Weqil’al nations, is npt Forcing ifell Ip practice, and that the Minister suggested that the Dominion Premiers should permit second Ministers to represent them sometimes in London, though -it was admitted that this involved a trusted partnership such as existed in the case of General Boi-iUt-iind ‘General Smuts, ■a***"* 11 It was never intended,” stated Air Massey, “to hold an Imperial Conference in I£>2o: It was always understood th»t the Poipinipng, ajut ejrgp Dm United Kingdom itself would require iU least a year for the cleaning up necesUry uftc'r the war period. As tfl yeferenco to a leading Minister* conpopted with the Colonial Office, I do not know who he may be , but I know that it was not Lord Milner (Secretary of for the Colonies), because lie has expressed to me the opinion that the new arrangement, hy which the Dominions became partners in the Empire, h.'iH verji "tifejl 4 OpforUinately, Lord kiixier, is not now in England, being away' in -Egypt at the present ” ’ '