MISELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 July 1924, Page 3

MISELLANEOUS ITEMS.

[UY TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. LABOUR'S IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. OPPOSITION TO P.E REPRESENTED (Received this day at 11.25 a.in.) LONDON, duly 3. Tho “Daily Express” lobbyist states that Mr .1. 11. Thomas’s Conference will he concerned with the constitution of future Imperial Conferences and their relations to the respective Governments and Parliaments. Tho loriil of the Conference has not been settled, hut will lie in the nature of a committee. Efforts are being made to meet i lithe coining autumn. The first task will be the devising of machinery by which a change of any Government will not affect the resolutions id' regular Imperial Conferences. In this regard tho suggestion will ho considered that future delegations .should lie representative of the opposition as well as tho Government.

UNITY OF THE EM I.MRI'

[REUTP.iis Telegrams.]

(Received this day at 11.25 a.in.) LONDON, duly 3.

Lord Derby, in presiding at a banquet to the Congress of Empire Chambers of Commerce, at which there was n distinguished political and commercial gathering, said he regretted the Imperial Conference resolutions had not been ratified. He said that, momentarily, Britain had decided in favour of free trade, lint where any new duty was imposed for the purpose ol revenue it was their duty to give preference to their own kith and kin whether taxes existed now or in future. It should Ik> remembered _ the Umpire could lie sell-contained. Everything should Ik> done to facilitate such. It was desirable. Mr J. H. Thomas (Colonial Secroary) in declaring that Imperial Auffirs should know no party, pointed out that the majority of those who attended the last Imperial Conference were already out of office, but the talk of losing the Empire was humbug. Foolish folk, who were' not possessed of confidence, asserted that after the elections in South Africa secession was inevitable, yet. the first message received from the Union was that the change of Government would make no difference in regard to the great fundamental questions of the Unity ol the Empire.

RATE OF EXCHANGE HARDSHIL’ LONDON, July 3.

The Congress of 'the Chambers of Commerce adopted the Bradford resolution urgently requesting the Government's attention to rate of exchange between Britain, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, which is a hardship to trade. The mover stated the present rates for remittances to the Dominions were, approximately, a penny per pound of paw wool.

THE ALLIES CONFERENCE

[JiKUTK RH TIX KG It A MS.]

(Received this dav at 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 3.

Belgium, Italy and Japan have accepted the invitations to the Allied •Conference in London on July Kith. The United States has also accepted another form if inivtation. It is intended that all States interested in the reparations should have an opportunity of attending, but the question of the invitations mis not yet been decided. The question of the Dominions is also considered.

TIPS FOR VOTES. LONDON. July 3. A discussion on the financial demands on Legislators b.v constituents and others led a member to introduce in the Commons a Bill with the object'of limiting the giving of donations and subscriptions hv Commoners. The introducer argued aJnid laughter, that subscriptions were probably given with a desire that previously obtained votes should not. lie lost.