MR AMERY’S VISIT

Hokitika Guardian, 21 December 1927, Page 4

MR AMERY’S VISIT

PRIME MINISTER’S APPRECIATION. AUCKLAND. Dec. 1!). “1 cannot express too warmly my appreciation of the value of the visit ot the Rt. lion. L. S. Amery, Secretary of State for the Dominions,” said the Prime Minister this morning in paying a tribute to the good work done by our visotor. during bis brief hut important visit, to New Zealand in bis epoch-marking tour of the overseas Dominions of the Empire. “.Mr Anirrv has shown an amazing capacity for work and in the short while at his disposal he has made himself conversant with many problem* that face the Dominion. TTo did not come among us as a stranger. lie was bore with the Empire Parliamentary delegates and his present visit was more in the nature of renewing acquantanee, an acquaintance which we arc proud to know was a pleasant one. “It is impossible to over-estimate the importance of the visit of the Secretary of State for the Dominions while he is still in office. Mr Amery has got. into close and sympathetic touch with the outlook of the different Dominions of the Empire and the knowledge he has gained must knit closer the bonds which already exist, lie has made himself acquainted with our legislation and our general atti-f Hide towards Empire matters, including such vital matters as Empire trade and Empire migration.

1 “We have had very full and satisfactory discussions between Mr Amery and the Government of New Zealand, among the questions threshed cut being immigration; land settlement and its possibilties; the Pacific cable, winch, as you are aware, is tho joint concern of the Motherland and Canada. Australia and New Zealand; reciprocal <.!d age pensions: the Condominium problems of the New Hebrides; matters connected with Nauru and Ocean Islands, whence New Zealand draws its supplies of superphosphates; and Pacific relations generally. There were also a number of matters of a (onhdenlial nature that at a. later stage we wi.'l !:■.■ able to refer to more freely. Our visitor will, .1 am certain, return to the Old Country with a wider grasp of our problems and difficulties and will hi' able to interpret our point of view to the Government, and to the people m a wav that would be impossible if lie had not made this world tour. In addition to the business aspect, of Mr Amery s visd. it is also interesting to know that we will have in him a irong admirer of our wonderfully

cal icd scenery, li i- tho first lime no have had a \isi: from a .state.— man who is a keen mountain climber. "[ should like to say how much we have appreciated the presence of Mrs Amery. As a hostess in London sip. was known in a i.umber of New Ze.ilanders. Now she is known to a much wider eire'e and in her we have, no less than in Mr Amery. one who will be able to explain us to our kin

in the Motherland. In her kindness to encourage shopping within the Empire Mrs Amery las given us a message which is more than ever necessary. In wishing good-bye to them we can only hope that their excellent example will be followed by others and that by means of these personal visits tlioso who look after the affairs of the Dominions at the heart o! the Empire will know as much about us and understand us as well as they do the people of the Old Country.”