IMPERIAL QUESTIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 July 1923, Page 3

IMPERIAL QUESTIONS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. (Received this day at 12.15 p.m.) MELBOURNE, July 25. In the House of Representatives, Mr Bruce declared two outstanding cji'.estions at the Imperial Conferein e would be tlie foreign policy and defence. The Imperial Government had forwarded the fullest information ot foreign affairs hut such information was always received copcuiTciily with the public announcement. It always came when too lute to influence decisions. In urging the need for closer consultation, Mr Bruce said he believed some good would result from the appointment of a Minister in Britain lor a short period, provided he retained his .Ministerial status. He also favoured tin* creation of a small Australian .secretariat within the British Foreign Office to assist in informing public opinion in -Australia. Another aspect was "heilier separate dominions were to O’ entitled to conclude separate treaties on their own account.

Dealing with defence Mr Bruce said neither the League el Nations, nor the Washington Conference had solved the defence problems for Australia. There was no room for a conference o! I’an:lunations to discuss l. e armament question. Defence was an impos-ib'e task lor Australia by licraeli. t Inly by d't feivnl parts ol the Empire acting together could a proper scheme ol Empire defence be secured. He would tell the conference that Australia was prepared to do her part in such a scheme. Tile establishment of Singapore base was it condition dependent on the establishment of aiiy large licet there. I lierefore the* propos'd imi-t commend itsc-ll to the people of Australia. It. showed that Britain recognised the heart of the Empire "as not mm in the North Sea, but had shifted to the Pacifio. The proposal was the carrying out. of what had for long been an Australian ideal.

Ml- Bruce next dealt with the importance of the development i f airship and wireless services. In all these matters be loilorutcd Gnu lie would not commit Australia to one penny expense till Parliament had a lull opportunity of discussing the divisions ol the conference.

Turning to the Economic Conlei'enee Mr Bruce declared the mo-l important subjects for discussion were overseas settlement. Trade development was bound up with the land settlement question. Jt was a problem fouling markets lor Lmpire products. I uless tve could find markets lor our supplies and products, it was useless to go on with the migration schemes. There was no reason why we should not enter into inter-Empire trade arrangements. which while not .shutting the door to other nations, would help Britain and the Empire over a. peiiod when markets of the whole world were unstable. The only way to meet the situation was reciprocity ' within the Empire, and he proposed la urge tins with all his power. Upon Australia, was thrown the obligation of showing the need lor prelcrem’o. II A list! alia could not find markets in Britain she must inevitably find them somewhere else. That meant that some other nations goods would be substituted for those ol Britain. That was the last thing the Ministry desired, because it would lie most serious t > Britain. In regard to preference he declared under it Empire trade within the Empire would increase the purchasing power of the Dominions troiu Biitain. Jt a basis regarding the Empire foreign policy were not reached. it would mean the disintegration of the Empire. The icstilf of that would he disastrous. He believed the Miuostiy was doing its best in the inieiosts ol the Commonwealth. They held that Australia should defend herself and that within the Empire there should he a common policy tor the wlu le Empire. The whole question should he approached from a high Australian standpoint. 'l'he debate was adjourned.