IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 17 November 1930, Page 3

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

THE CLOSING SCENES.

United Press Association —by Electric 1 elegraph. - -Copy right. J

LONDON, November .14

The Imperial Con.ereuee ended m ■' cordial atmosphere and assuiance help ful to all parties. Speeches were main, ly of a l'elecitious nature.

Mr SculUu emphasised the intricaI cies of the economic issues, which required a longer time than was available. He plumped outright for the adaption of the wheat quota. | Mr Forbes though disappointed, said there had been no development of preference. He said New Zealand had no quarrel thereat. He believed the ground had been prepared for future developments. A voluminous summary of the proceedings confirmed the Australian Press messages concerning the decisions relating to the Singapore Base:

SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS

LONDON, November 14

A summary of the proceedings of several thousand words embodying the entire work of the Conference was issued this morning. It shows, the following meetings occurred*— three plenary sessions, twenty-eight ' heads of delegations, 163 committees and subcommittees.

Nothing is revealed beyond what is already known, the report merely confirming that the sole concrete economic result of the Conference is the retention of the existing preferences as cabled, deferring wheat quota pending British examination, preliminary to Con-’ ference consideration, at Ottawa Conference.

The United Kingdom Government’s first actual reply to the Dominion delegates preference proposals were not made until midnight on November 13 and states plainly “The interests of the) United Kingdom preclude the economic policy wlricli would injure its foreign trade.” The only alternative suggestion is the exploration of other opportunities per the medium of the reconstituted marketing hoard of the Imperial Economic Committee,

It is frankly admitted no single economic decision was reached. It is recommended that the Marketing Board he constituted as a trust fund and reconstituted as a bodv of trustees charged with the administration of the fund and the charter extended to permit the handling of home grown products. The Board hereafter to be permitted to make private contributions in addition to Government grants. Canned Fruit 'suit-corn nut tees .recommends attention possibly to hulk purchasing, and formation of a purchasing organisation to negotiate long term contracts with guarantors against dumping.

Probably the most concise section of the whole report is sixteen words mereIv recording that it had received , tlm Empire Press Union’s recommendations in relation to cheaper Press cables and wireless.

THE CONCLUDING SPEECHES

LONDON, Nor. M

At the Conference, in the final speech, Mr McGillagin, the delegate of the Irish Free State, said:—lt will be for us to determine, ;ns we see the results of the Imperial Conference; wlie ther the extent of our willingness to co-operate will bo as great as I expressed it last year, or somewhat weakened. Much may .happen 'between now and the Conference to he held at Ottawa. If we then have to vie these matters somewhat aloofly and detacliedly, who, nevertheless, shall look to see whether the climatic conditions there will reconcile the many views which, in this climate, appear to be so irreconcilable.

General Hertzog ('South' AfrW) said :—“l would perhaps, he insincere to protend that this Conference has borne the fruit that wo and the other Dominions Had hoped. T and mv colleagues came here knowing what we mivst see. Our expectations did not run over high. Therefore., we are not greatly disappointed.”

AIR FORBES’S COAIAIENTS

LONDON, Nov. 15

The New Zealand Prime Aliniwter, Air Forbes, interviewed regarding the Imperial Conference, said that good would undoubtedly come out of the Conference, if only from the frank exchange of opinion and personal contacts. New Zealand had been chiefly concerned with the economic side of the Conference. “Our ties with the Motherland,” he said, “do not require strengthening or safeguarding, hut we would like to come closer regarding mutual trade with Britain, our chief market, instead of seeing that market lying open to countries wherein the standard of living is much below New Zealand’s standard i'or instance, Russia is devoting herself to the exploitation of the British market. Our share of that market is thus jeopardised. We would have liked some practical safeguard, reassuring ns for the future. We ;;r° •striving to increase our purchases from Britain, hut we find that it is.

foreigners who are largely reaping the harvest, and (ire reducing the amount of money that-we can spend on British manufactures. Nevertheless, wo have not lost heart. . We shall continue to do our best, depending on blie outstaiulng quality of our goods, and hoping tlnit the sentimental preference for Empire gooiVs will strengthen and increase. Our production in New Zealand is rapidly increasing. We feel that it is equally as important to Britain as it is to ourselves that our future market .should continue to he here. The Empire has the resources to overcome the piv.-rnt eco.nomic difficulties and ’depressions if it shows the same unity as it showed in the war. At. the same tune, we recognise Britain’s right to decide lmr own policy. We do not complain keen use tlm British Government found it impossible to depart fro>ni free trade. It will not cause any difference in our policy towards Britain. We shill maintain and strengthen the .existin'* sentiment to the utmost in favour of having British goods. I feel sure that, this represents the sentiments of the whole of New Zealand.”

BRITISH PREMIER

REVIEWS THE CONFERENCE.

LONDON, Nov. 15

After the Eclose of -Hie Imperial Conference, the Prime Minister, Mr J. 'Ramsay~.-MacDonald; looked in. .fat « gathering of one . -hundred journalists to pay “Thank yon”, for their frjendl" and -discreet handling of the Imperial Conference, which he said, was. faced with difficulties in giving . -legislative effect to the 'Declaration of .1626.' re-, garding equality of status, He emphasised the danger of trying to yril.u a constitution, and expressed the opinion that they had overcome problems in the status of Westminster, which would lie shortly submitted to Parliament to give effect to the Conference’s decision. He praised the voluntary agreement reached upon an Empire Tribunal to deal with inter-Domrnion disputes. “We are now. a Dominion too!” lie declared,. He expressed the opinion that, 1,930 had brought them a trepiendous, step i forward in its. ...remarkable development in co-equal partnership. , Dealing with the economic issue, the Prime Minister mentioned tjiat the first clash of opinion was when the Dominions had pressed for tariff preferences as being the best fillip to in-ter-Empire trade. Tfte, United Kingdom. he said, had replied thereto by stating that mutual advantages were to be obtained by other ‘means. For fhe first time, he said, the, Labour Party, through the Government. ' hah declared that preferences had been of •mutual advantage to all parts of the Empire; and' in order' to meet the Dominion’s anxiefv anil imcertiiin tv regarding the existin'! preferences, he declared they would remain in force for ah further Hired I '-'years'; unless altered by mutifnl' a*freni(*nt at a frirfih'ier-- 7 conference." Some -rif the Dominions ‘loid im.modb’-feVv responded;’byundertaking to do -the. same. Mr J. H. Thnnv's men Honed - : tV wider basing to off Eopnotcic Own nuttor 1 to earn' out a honk'n’Tv 11 ® examination of Emnire trade problem. Ip n.1,«0 indiret-cd • tha t • the TVorn'iniop • would he invited to ■ ;>l '' -is! of widor •'!'+<>• it’ ce of tbe ■kelin" - Board, at +bn renv* Dmo/nm* ;„,v *i,«. saE of British mv,vd?' in tHoir countries.

CONCLUDING ?:E«STON

(British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, Nov. 15

At the concluding session, . an address to tlio King, expiring the. devotion and affection , of gylm-o people throughout the Commonwealth, vas unanimously, adopted,- -and--ayreply was received from his Majesty expressing pleasure at having met his Ministers from' oversea,-s, and wishing, them a safe and happy return home.

A further comprehensive resolution expressed the thanks of the. delegates to ATr Ramsay MacDonald (Prime Minister) Tor •presiding', and for. the warmth of th® welcome' extended to them in England.' and also' expressed the hope that although the conference met at a time of great strws and difficulty the work accomplished may prove of lasting value to the whole Commonwealth.

There was general agreement that the conference had been successful, and high hopes were based on the < ut(>omo iof !tbe suggested Economic Conference in Ottawa, to which Air R. B. Bennett extended a warm welcome. Ho reinstated his tariff preference offer, which was still open, and Having expressed 'the belief that ift would, ho accepted at Ottawa, he promised on behalf of Canada, to consider carefully the- wheat quota system. Air O. W. Forbes, in a general •appreciation of Air■ ‘.MacDonald s conduct as chairman, stated that New Zealand, made no complaint that the United Kingdom Government felt unable to depart from its fiscal policy. New Zealand was fully determined however- to continue to increase where possible, the preference.given to -British goods. *. General J. P». At. Horf/oo’s s>werii Ho recognised the. United Kinml'in Government’s no®ition regarding tariff v)references, and the Trish Ere Bta.te dele gnt-° (Mr Patrick AlcGilligniO eznrdssed appreciation of the. sincerity with which a.TI the delegations had fioon received. Tbn Newfoundland delegate UU Tijohiivd «J(inives'» referred, to the cirf.n,v®stances of unusual world difTwd’v n, n i confront 0 '! tlie confcrepr "''d .-h. 1 1(VI , 0 ,;„, p.-rl Girl t-Pc iV’nrUt’on tpr important Imperial development. In

lii,s opinion such conferences should be held at more frequent intervals, Mr MacDonald briefly replied.

conference a failure

LONDON, Nov. 15

■ “The Tillies” says.: The failure, o! the 'lmperial Conference ito . achieve, any' concrete result is primarily due to the fact that the British. Government drifted into it without any clear .policy, and without .anything, .like,, thy preparation needed- ...... The “Daily Express” says: Thu humiliation- pf this wasted conference is the last victory of the free importers. Tt is only a- matter of months when the country will sweep them aside with anger and contempt. LIBERAL PRESS VIEW, s - 'LONDON, Nov. ! r, ; ’- Thie • “Neivs {Chronicle’’' sayri; There lias ' riever • lieeil the faintest chance that‘ the Gov nir- ent would' ncokie-v ' in the principle of taxing food or. raw materials, and thus commit the nation to ii disastrous fiscal revolution.”