WESTMINSTER STATUTE

Hokitika Guardian, 26 November 1931, Page 5

WESTMINSTER STATUTE

IN THE COMMONS. \ (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Co *yright.; RUGBY, November 25. In the House of Commons, teir Gerald Hurst (Conservative) moved the first amendment to tile Statute- of Westminister. This was designed to prevent any of the, Dominions from passing laws with any extra-territorial operation conflicting with British laws or with other-Dominion laws, or with international law.

Major Relisha replied to a motion bo postpone the operation of the clause in the Statute Bill dealing with the Dominions’ power in relation to merchant shipping until the Convention had been ratified. He said that heads of the merchant shipping agreement were apparently approved of throughout the Empire, apart from a certain slight difference in the case of New Zealand, which, it was hoped, would soon be adjusted. IMr Somerville (Conservative) moved the postponement of the operation of the hill for one year. He said that Australia was half-hearted about .the measure) that Tasmania and West Australia liad protested against the Statute, that New Zealand 4'd not seem to want it, and that Canada was lukewarm about it. It was only wanted by South Africa and Ireland, and that for electoral purposes, Mr H. L. Boyce '(Conservative) supported the amendment. He said that it would be more opportune to pass;a constructive bill uniting the Empire after the Imperial Economic Conference had achieved Empire economic Unity.

Mr J. H. Thomas (Secretary for the Dominions) said that Britain, at the last Imperial Conference, was committed to every one of the Dominions to carry out this agreement, and Britain ought to implement it so as to enable every one to <rot down to fundamental economic problems. It would be a mistake, he said, for the British Parliaemnt to take sides in differences between the Australian Federal authoritties and the Australian State authorities.

The amendment was also withdrawn Mr Boyce then moved to amend Clause Ten of the Bill to provide that the Dominion Parliaments in Australia, New Zealand and Newfoundland might, at any time, revoke the adoption of Sections Two, Three, Four. Five and Six of the Statute. He said that his object was to remove any possibility of doubt that Australia’s sovereign status was in any way affected by ithe hill. Mr Thomas Inskip accepted this amendment, which was adopted. Colonel .T. Gretton (Conservative) moved a new clause to provide nothing in the Rill should authorise the Irish Free State Legislature to repeal, amend, or alter -the Irish Treaty, He said that without this provision, Irish separatists could legally take any steps that they desired.

Mr J. H. Thomas said that nothing would be more fatal to imperial unity than any such differentiation as between the Dominions. The Irish Free State had not a long record, but there was no more stable Government than Ireland’s in the Empire. President Cosgrave, • after the debate last week, had written to Mr Ramsay MacDonald* stating that the maintenance of the present happy Anglo-Irish relations was absolutely dependent upon their acceptance of each other’s good faith. Mr Thomas added that this amendment of Colonel Gretton’s would safeguard nothing. If the Free State were to elect a Government that was determined to break the Treaty, this amendment wpuld do nothing to stop it. The passage of the amendment would only blazon to the world that the British Government could net trust the Irish people. The Government. he said, could not accept the amendment.

BILL PASSES COMMONS.

LONDON, November 24

Sir Austen Chamberlain said than as having been himself a- signatory* to the Irish Treaty, he desired to say that he was satisfied with President Cosgrave’s public announcement that the Treaty was an agreement between the two nations, standing irrespective oF statutory authority, upon mutual faith, that it could only be altered by common consent. In a spirit of confidence and of faith, he would support the Government.

Mr W. Churchill said he- felt that his opposition to the Bill had in no wise abated. He had the greatest respect and admiration for President Cos grave, and for his faithful adherence to the Treaty, but the point raised could not be settled by an individual’s assurances. The Free State Government was in a precarious position. It had had to. adopt measures, more severe than any British coercion. The Treaty might become the matter of a grave crisis, and they would he responsible if they in anywise weakened British moral interests therein.

Air Baldwin (Leader of the .Conservative Party) declared that the amendment was futile for the achievement of the purpose which its movers desired, and that insistence upon the amendment would he disastrous to the whole Empire. The crux of the ouestiou was that of Imperial relationships. The Dominions, he snick had all been consulted regarding the Statute. Australia and Canada had sought for special conditions, whereas South Africa and Ireland had asked for no special conditions,' because they believed that all the necpssnrv protection rested in their constitutions, and that restric-

tive clauses would be a reflection on their -good faith. Mr George Lansburv (Lender of the Labour Party) 'supported the Government. He said that Labour believed that Ireland should be trusted, and should be dealt with exactly in the same way as tbe other Dominions. The amendment, on a division, was defeated by 350 votes to 50. The Bill was then read the third time.