WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 5 August 1932, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS

EMPIRE AND DOMINIONS. ' THEIR RESPECTIVE BURDENS. (From a Corresponuent). WELLINGTON,: August, 1. The news from Ottawa- during the week-end suggests that the representatives of the Mother Country and the representatives of the •'Dominibhs are not altogether in harmony in regard to the solution of some of the problems by which they are confronted. It may be true,- as -M&. 'enterprising correspondent has f erfd-’the world at large that Mr Bruc6 ,! ari<l Mr Coates are the two''best dre&sCd 'rnen in Ottawa at the present time. IThe correspondent’s asseition has not'’been challenged.'•*'But at the moment the opinion of a journalist in regard ~to the adjustment, of a politician’s tio or the arrangement of his spats is iof-Uittlei consequence to a waiting nntioniu-Whartf the British public Wants 'tit know'alb about at the present '’firm* arb the* means by which the Imperial ence will extricate- the widC’tpWcad Empire from, the, difficulties of’ 1 more' or less consequence in which it is involved at the' present time.

THE BIG MAN. Both'Mr Brtice' and Mr-Coates’have-delivered speeches since the of the Conference;Mr Bruce indifcaSring eloquently/ it’ ; would •apphai;, 1 . tM needs Of Australia, a.nd •. 'Mr'-; Clpat'qs;* perhaps -a:" little 'involved,' I '.‘those .of New Zealand'; but ‘neithef J of’Wese' •g’ebtleni'eh seems yet to have his schemes to’ earth. It whs' left I’ip’ 1 ’ ip’ Mr tSanley Baldwin, the leader'of 'tlio' British delegation, to mount a, higher plane and' to unfold "the needs of'the ■Empire and the.world at ( large. “Thel British' delegation,”,. he told the 'presentstive assembly, ‘‘has ho mtention of weighing' ’meticuidrisly. ’ (the. ‘benefits given .and,,,(received is anxious that the outride world, shall realise, that the spirit animating us all has been constantly and com, sistently displayed in our actual dealings with the Dominions.” No note more concise and. eloquent could have l>een shaped, on behalf of the Mother Country which through all its years has nevef failed-in its succour to its outposts! *

•;. • , A HI CHER NOTE, “i,, > Both the Wellington daily papers refer in the warmest terms of, appreciation to the memorandum presqntqd by Mr Baldwin running into a,.c9uj>le of columns. , ‘.‘Not only the .delegates at Ottawa, but also the people of f the Dominions tliey,,jrepresent,”,.says; the ‘Dominion,” “should/ •&}s§(•: careful study to the statement jpublished this morning defining Great titude to reciprocal preferejiciql jtt , embraces a gent)gybut: consideypd, ; pnd deserved what they . owe;t° the‘Ifind• ; In a : greSt ')W9VS respects the dependence is-abMutei;*, ,Theo Dominions find in Britain J<v* market for:' many; urodnets for which there ■ lte no-'suffic-ient outlet ; elsewhere. They are even privileged to competed bn eq'waluterms with Home producers although- British maufacturers in competitftai with -Dominion ynanufactiirers- ■ air ey‘allowed no such free entry l .” a very timely article -the-' 5 ‘Dominion” observes pointedly . that it is high time the 'representatives of the outlying portions of the Empire returned to reciprocity in spirit and. in deed.

PLAIN SPEECH, The “Evenng Post” is even , ltfbfe; pointed than is the-local contemporary; in referring to the omissicr of some £s of the members of the overseas delegp-j tions. ' “It ‘is gentle, but at the sametime candid and firm,” > says of tyfri Baldwin’s presentation, -and we Cannot gee that it contains a single woyd; at which any Dominion can reasonably take offence.- There. )9jsioj attempt at rhetoric, / and are by far its most eloquent,part If the British are - not rlfgifitly piqued they p gpod right ,tp, bp„ and 'they have give, the Donprviphj delegates something . think Tabjopt.' The tone of Mr Bruce'has beeh-pqr.tic-ularly deplorable and) the, inevitable association of New Zealand tralia has injured; our cgse jalsp.”j Thero is no obvious, reason wji.y , Coates should ;:be involved, sip Bruce’s indiscretions, and,, the,; g*.ftat weight of New Zealand anpyo.val-and sympathy \vill b,e with Mr,/‘Baldwin and his colleagues. ntj i