IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 4 November 1930, Page 5

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

COMMON WEALTH TRIBUNAL

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright^.

(Received this day at 10.30 a.m.) LUX DON. November 3'.

Lord Sankey’s Committee of the Imperial (. on Ere i ice submitted to I reads 'of delegations for adoption the Dominions .legislation conference report practically as it stands. It likewise submitted for udopti m ■ootnil.s ot the proposed Commomwalth Tribunal. It will not l.b. a. permanent court like The Hague but entirely voluntary, both parties having agreed to .submit disputes thereto for arbitation, one party therefore having power to veto, but disputes .between the Governments of the British Commonwealth do not involve individuals, with which tho privy .couneiil deals. Justicoahk' or noli tic a I disputes such as tariffs ne,eel not necessarily come before the Tribunal though submission is left entirely to the disputants to decide. The Tribunal consists of five members. The first two are selected one by each party from anybody regardless of qualification. The second-two-, one by each party from persons bolding or held high judical office or distinguished jurists only. The all binding qualifications is all of the members must be British Commonwealth citizens. The above mentioned four confer and appoint a fifth as chairman from anybody in the British Commonwealth. It was resolved that if the parties agree and can appoint assessors of special knowledge of a question disputed, the Tribunal can sit an where. It was mutually decided it should he understood the Tribunal's main purpose to deal with disputes between the British Commonwealth members, which was not submit table at The Hague International Court because everybody excepting the Irish Free State signed the reservation. inter Commonwealth disputes shall "not be referred to The Hague.

SOME RECOMMENDATIONS

LONDON, November 3

The Imperial Conference recommends the Government of the British Commonwealth to introduce legislation providing for reciprocal pensions throughout the Empire and then to negotiate w/ith each (other to enable the operation thereof. Cotton growing reports reveal a marked increase in cotton growing within the Empire but little prospect of extending production unless prices improve.

It recommends the maintenance of increased production and extended sei en tific i n vest igati oil.

The shipping committee recommends cases where inter-imperial trade was prejudiced owing to the. absence of direct services, that they should be referred to the Imperial Shipping Committee.

CONFERENCE PROGRESS

(Received this day at 1.5 p.rn.)

LONDON, November 3

Really substantial progress is now being made with the Imperial Conference ensuring the likelihood of it ending next week. There is every prospect that Wednesday will see something definite emerge. For the moment everything has a legal flavour. Speeding up the Conference’s work has been ingeniously attributed to the desire of the Dominion’s premiers to get home to face their own troubles, but there is the other side of the story Mir MacDonald apologising for his inability to attend the Conference to-day and tomorrow. He explained there had been threats to move an adjournment in the Commons if he was not present at the debate and amendments to the address.