SIR JAMES PARR

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1931, Page 6

SIR JAMES PARR

W POLITICAL ACTIVITIES IN BRITAIN. LONDON. January 29. Sir .lames Pair has made a very satisfactory recoverey from his operation, and lie has left the nursing home. “Peterborough.” who conducts the column, “London, Day by Day,” in the “Daily Telegraph,” published the following on .January 19th:—“I hear it possibility that at the next general election. Sir James Parr, New Zealand’s High Commissioner in London from 1926 to 192!). make seek election to the Imperial Parliament. Until he came to England, a little over four

years ago. Sir James’s public activities had been confined to the Dominion in which he was born. There municipal distinction in Auckland led on to a "Parliamentary career and the occupancy of various posts in the Cabinet. As tt member of the New Zealand l’arliamenlary Commission, lie visited England in 1916, and he represented his Dominion on the League of Nations from 1926 and 1928. in which latter year he was appointed a member of the Imperial Defence Committee. With such an Imperial record, and coming as ho does from a Dominion with the most actively developed ideals on the need for Imperial economic? unity, and.

a general affinity fop the Conservative party in this country, it is not to be thought for a moment that Sir Janies won 91 consider fighting a political battle under either the Socialist or Liberal banner. Yet, so far as I can ascertain. the headquarters of the Conservative party have not yet received an intimation that Sir James would welcome adoption as one of their candidates. I should he sorr.v to think that he might be entering the field as a member of one of those mushroom ‘ 1 mlepemlent’ parties, which have so little chance of doing anything effective in the House of Commons.’

TARIFF PREFERENCE. Bir James Parr wrote to the “Daily Telegraph” on January 23rd. He said : “ ‘Peterborough’s’ complimentary suggestion that J may he a candidate at the next general election calls for a word of acknowledgment. Lately, I was not altogether averse front this idea---hut under whose banner? Ncith cd the Sociaist. nor the Liberal party in this country makes much appeal to a Dominion’s man like myself. Indeed J regal'd those two parties (and each is equally culpable) as betrayers of the best interests of the Empire, and most Dominion people in their hearts believe so. But I have serious difficulties even in regard to the Conservatives — my natural friends. I do wish that they would move a step further, amt give the Dominions what they all ask a larilf preference for their goods, in return for millions of pounds worth of Dominions’ orders for English factories.

“-hv own Dominion could, in return for a sheltered English market, place new orders lor engineering equopment motor-ears, electrical goods, and textiles. which would give work to tens of thousands of Englishmen now on the dole. Australia’s present ills can be largely cured by the same policy. I know, of course, that Air Baldwin claims a Tree band’ on this matter, but if lie would" only make Empire Economic Union a real plank in th 0 Cons ownGve 'dat form. I and many others would enrol joyously tinder his flag. In the meantime, I shall compute tprerMi this gospel ; throughout the. country (as I am doing), believing that only by it.s ultimate acceptance can we save England and keep the Empire together.”