BRITISH POLITICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 July 1924, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS.

[ R EUTKII S TEr.EGIt AXI s. 1 IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. LONDON, duly 2<b lit the House of Commons, the Colonial Secretary. Mr .1. 11. Thomas, announced that there will lie an Impoiial Conference held in October. Mi Thrums’s announcement of the Coiilorcni'f followed on a speech by Colonel Amery in which he accused the Government Departments of England ot tailing hack on their old traditional attitude. not realising that a new chapter in British constitutionalism bail opened during the war. The Morning Rost discussing the new Imperial ('(inference, says: A' Britain lias just i unmitted the folly ol rejecting the unanimous advice of representativo* of tlic Dominions, in rollference. we shall lie .surprised if the |>nminioiis are so forgiving as to enter another conference whose decisions may he treated in exactly the same wav. ’ Mr Thomas said: “We promised the Dominions that their representatives at the present Allied Conference was not a, precedent, we being desirous to make it plain to the foreign powers that such a system of representation for the Dominions is unsatisfactory, and that it must tic altered. That is why we are inviting the Dominions to a Conler-cm-o in Dctohcr. I cannot lay the papers on the table at the moment, and the replies have not heen received, hut there is cverv indication that the Government- want it to take place in order to explore the whole situation. Me want to avoid the difficulties that, wo have had to deal wsth so tar. It is imperative that the interests of the Dominions should lie recognised and looked after. \Vo also want outsiders to understand that any domestic dillercnei.s are not going to weaken us. liecause we are going to remedy them." Earlier in the debate. Colonel A mery said: "At the Paris Confer the status of the Dominions was recognised ii"t only among oiirselvi'-. hut by the out-id" world, as equal to that of other independent- nations. A real solution could best be found in making the prim iplc ol the British Empire delegation continuous, giving the Dominions a continuous say in foreign policy." Alter all. they could not have dillerciit degrees of citizenship within the Empire. MESOPOTAMIA. LONDON. July 3ii. In the Hulls" ot Commons debate on Mesopotamia, Mr Thomas (Colonial Secretary) said that Britain wit- committed hv the lute Government to quit Mesopotamia in lour years, but no one speaking re the present Government could give a guarantee a- to what might happen to alter the situation before the end of that period. "It is the Government’s intention to get out,” lie said, "but we want to get out with honour-." COMMITTEE OF ENQFIRY. LONDON. July 30. In the Commons, Mr \Yebh announced the appointment of a Committee of Inquiry into the conditions and prospects of British exjiort trade, with Sir Arthur Balfour as Chairman.