IMPERIAL PROBLEM

Hokitika Guardian, 27 November 1929, Page 6

IMPERIAL PROBLEM

IRELAND AND PRIVY COUNCIL. [United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.] LONDON, November 26. In the House of Commons, several questions were addressed to the Prime Minister on the subject of the recent declaration of the Irish Free State Parliament regarding the ending of appeals to the Privy Council. Mr MacDonald said that he had not received any communication on the subject of the Irish Free State. The Marquess of Hariingdon, Sir Kingsley Wood, Sir R. Davison, and Sir Austen Chamberlain (Conservatives) expressed the view that the Irish Free State had raised an important constitutional point by the threat to legislate to prevent Privy Council judgments operating in future in Ireland, which, they said, would lie a breach of the Irish Free State Constitution Act. Commander Kenworthy (Labour) asked: “Did not the Speaker of the House of Commons recently rule that matters that are within the competence of the Dominions’ Parliaments should not he discussed in the British Parliament?” M ■ The Speaker said that lie was not prepared, on the spur of the moment, to give a ruling on the. constitutional point raised.

CANADA’S ’ POSITION. 1 OTTAWA, Nov. 26. The “Gazette” publishes a statement that success lias" resulted from the work of the 'Canadian Delegation, headed by the Minister of Justice, Mr Da Pointe. in the conference on the operation of the Dominion’s legislation and merchant shipping legislation. All of the main points were granted, including power granted to Canada to have her own Admiralty Courts and to have complete authority over all of the ships on foreign registry using Canadian ports, or engaging in the Oa nacl ia n coastal’ trade. j 'iThje. f ,Ooinference decided to recommend to the next Imperial Conference -the' removal of all Consitutional they affect Canada.

NO HOPE - LONDON, Nov. 26. Mr Ramsay MacDonald in the House of Commons told a questioner that lie could not hold out any hope of allocating a day to’disenss Empiie free trade. • . > ...