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Hokitika Guardian, 7 January 1931, Page 4

Tun Home Government- has been criticised very severely upon his general attitude at the Imperial Conference to the colonial delegates. Dir Amerv, who was formerly a Conservative Minister of thoi Crown, wrote to the London 'l’imes, and charged the Government with “sheer incompetence” in the handling of the business, and adds acidly that the Government “never really meant business.” The failure has been with the British Government (writes Mr Atnery). On the main issue, that of tariff preference, it has met the dominions with a flat refusal even to discuss their offer. Tariff preference was excluded from the purview of Mr Graham’s Economic Subcommittee, ns being a matter of “high policy.” and, apparently, during all these weeks, Mr Bennett was given no opportunity of explaining or expanding his proposals or even of meeting the objections entertained against them. As for the alternative to which the Conference was invited to direct their attention, it soon became evident, I fear, that no plan either for quota or bulk purchase had been seriously thought out beforehand, or even endorsed in principle by the Cabinet, It almost looks ns if these questions had been merely thrown at the dominions to keep them occupied till it was time for the conference to break up. The dominion Prime Ministers may well feel that the sacrifices they have made in attending the Conference have, ended in failure, not because of the inherent difficulties in coming to term 5 , or that inadequacy of the time available, hut because the British Government has never really meant business. Postponement to a further conference next year offers little bm-e of n better issue, save on one condition—that is. that Britain will he represented at that conference bv men of a tore different temper. Mr Macdonald and bis colleagues will not o-n down to history as dangerous revolutionaries. Their place will be with these who have clone even greater mffrhief by sheer incompetence and lack of the courage to deal seriously with son mis issues. Tn cheapness of spirit they have now made the PTont refusal. Mnv it not, he too late for others to retrieve their error?