AMERICAN CABLE NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 5 January 1927, Page 3

AMERICAN CABLE NEWS

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association. ■ v ECONOMIC CONFERENCE. f OTTAAVA, Jan. 4. A point raised in a press interview following a luncheon address at the Canadian Club was whether the Imperial Economic Conference was a lailurc because it did not touch preference. Mr Bruce replied that while lie personally believed that the question must ultimately he solved before international trade reached its greatest height, he felt quite satisfied with the economic work of the Conference, particularly the broad plans for co-opera-tion between Britain and the Dominions relative to science and indus-

try., 110 added that ho felt the ulti--1 mate attainment of a preferential scheme which now naturally could not be discussed, due to the Baldwin Government policy, would be reached by broadening the now existing scheme for safeguarding industry in Britain, so that it similarly applied throughout the Empire.

MR BRUCE’S VIEWS. (Received this dav at 11.0 a.m.) OTTAAVA, Jan. 4. Mr Bruce before a record gathering at the Canadian Club dinner at Toronto to-day stated that every self-gov-erning British Dominion must undertake the full quota, of the cost of defence to their utmost ability, onaccept position of inferioriy in tlio Empire. v 7 Ho read a cable giving Australia’s per capita expenditure for this purpose, as sixty-four cents compared to Canada’s twenty-two. Referring to the confcr- *'■ cnee, he said while some ideas expressed there, wero unadulterated nonsense, no principles were laid down that were nob in existence before. Air Bruce added: “I know there will bo a number of people who have been very alive and very loyal in their belief in the Empire and who believe a great Empire is the greatest force towards universal peace of the world, and who have a kind of npprehensoii that something lias been done that ■ v might eventually lead to clisintegrnjk. tion. Gentlemen'. F wish to say there W is not the slightest foundation for such a suspicion or allegation. AVliat was done there was done with my co-operation and assistance, because I believed It to bo wise and would tend to closer uniting of the Empire. If tho determination of the conference had been to impair, in the slightest degree, that unity, it would never have had my consent. I would -have fought to the last ditch to prejßcnt such action.” AN EXPLOSION. NEW YORK Jan. 4. A message from Baltimore states that twenty-eight dock workers and five members of tho the Trench bnrcjue Richelieu aro missing, following an explosion to-niglvt when the vessel was loading pitch at Curtis Bay k pier; It is feared many are dead.