COMING CONFERENCE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 71, 14 November 1931, Page 5

COMING CONFERENCE

(Press Assn.-

DISCUSSION IN HOUSE OF COMIViONS ON POLrCY PREFERENCE FOR DOMINIONS

-By Telegraph — Copyright.)

Rec. Nov. 13, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, Thursday. Mr. J. H. Thomas, Secretary of §j;ate fpr the Doniimons, referring. tq the questidp oi "Empire trade and ■' tjie foijftiqo.raing qpnference at Otfcawa, said he could not conceive any Government shaping a policy likely to pirejudice Imperial . interest in adi vance. , Mr. Tom Griffiths (Labour Ponty- ■ pool) : Have you altered your opin- ! ion. It is ^urqbug. f The Speaker mtervened. j Mr. P. J. H. Hannon (Conservative, f Moseley) : Does the answer indicate l that no stepa tpwards Imperial unity [ can be taken before "the conferenee? | Mr. Thomas: Not at all, I have not ' altered my view that it is possible to \ get a sound Irpperial policy. I am at ! present directing my efforts to that I end. In' July it will be necessary to \ esnsure the repr.eseptation of all the ! Dominions, and qnything which af5 fects the Dominions" in advance. That I naturally will not prejudice. the ulti- ' mate considerations which will be : borne in mind. ! Mr. Thomas, inforrned Capt. V. :0 Cazalet that Cabinet was considering £ the date of the conferenee. j Sir Y. Grattan Doyle: "In view of \* the altered conditipns is it necessary to wait till July?" Mr. Thomas : The altered conditions ' tnade that especially "necessary. I am e r.eady to" interpret the f eelings of the 1 ff'ouse.' The rislc of failure must be h :onsidered. All necessary preparations ti n-e being made to ensure success.Tnhdentally,, there is the question of [ the Dominions th.emselves. It will be } impossible to told the conferenee be-f-s fore July, and it will be absurd to ! convene it if pne of the Dominions, i i for domestic reasons, is unable to atk tend. These facts are being eonsidned. Mr. Lane-Fox: In view of the delay, , tvili you use your influence to see >i! ;hat no changes in the policy oceur :i n the meantime, and that preference ;o the Dominions will be the basis.