IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 June 1923, Page 2

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

PROGRAMME OUTLINED. [bv TELEGIIAPII —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] LONDON, June' 5. Edward Davson, Treasurer of the British Imperial Council of Commerce lecturing at the Royal Society of Arts, under the Presidency of Lord Devonshire, stated that the programme for the Imperial Economic Conference would be as follows: —The first matter to he considered would be ways and means for the further development of the natural resources of the Dominion and Colonies; secondly, inter-imperial commerce, shipping and' communications generally; thirdly, co-ordinated action for the improvement of technical research; and fourthly, the unification of law and practice in the Empire in certain matters affecting trade development. Dominion matters would claim the greater part of the attention of the conference, but since the Colonies and Protectorates would he also represented, their interests would necessarily demand attention. lie proposed as an alternative that Colonial and Protectorate subjects he referred to an auxiliary conference sitting concurrently, thereby avoiding the clashing of Dominion and Colonial interests, lie suggested that one of the principal aims of the Conference would he an ail-round Imperial prefeienee at 33 per cent, similar to Canada. He pointed out that the present preferences varied from the West Indies’ fifty per cent down to Now Zealand s ton to twenty, Australia's ten and South Africa’s three.

The lecturer urged the inter-Imperi-al transport cf the Empire’s goods, preferentially carried in Empire ships. He pointed out that Germany’s shipping had increased by 1,200,000 tons last year, whereas the increase of British, American and the rest of tlie world combined was under a million. Among other matters which would probably he included in the conference’s agenda were the Hague shipping rules, wireless telegraphy, unification of laws relating to merchandise marks, trade marks and patents. Lord Devonshire said that in bygone days there- was a suspicion that Britain was not undertaking an adequate interest in Dominion matteis. No one entertained that suspicion now. The Empire must work together, as therein lay the solution of the present difficulties', also ail assurance of making the Empire greater and stronger than ever.

THE REAL PLANNERS. LONDON, June fi

A meeting of Sir C. Lloyd-Graeme and the industrialists arranged on the first of June, resulted in Sir E. Geddas, Lord Balfour, Mr Glover and AH Pease agreeing to act as an Advisory Committee for the purpose of drawing up a programme for the Imperial Economic Conference and of giving Sir Lloyd-G raeme counsel, while the conference is sitting. It is pointed out that it is important that Sir LloydGraeme should have other advisers than the permanent officials of the Board of Trade, who cannot possibly have such an intimate touch with trade and commerce as men daily engaged therein. The Committee meet three weeks hence to discuss their preliminary programme for the conference.