PACIFIC RELATIONS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 621, 25 March 1929, Page 11

PACIFIC RELATIONS

MANCHURIA DANGER AREA DR. CONDLIFFE’S ADDRESS The research secretary of the Institute* of Pacific Relations, Dr. J. B. Condliffe, former professor of economics at the Canterbury University College, was the chief speaker at the Rotary Club's luncheon to-day. He dealt briefly with the progress the institute had made since the last conference. The institute had been organised and developed in many countries, he said. The presence of the delegation from Great Britain, led by Sir Frederick White, was the outstanding feature of the last conference. After the conference the delegates took back a report to the Royal Institute of International Relations, with the result that Great Britain will again be represented at the conference this year. Groups were now established in Great Britain, Canada, America, Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand. Pr. Condlift'e said. On the Pacific Council, the British Empire has four representatives out of seven. It is expected that there will be men from Java, Holland and Mexico at the next conference. “My work as research secretary has been to gather facts in preparation for the coming conference,” continued the speaker. “In the last two years I have travelled 50,000 miles, and have met the leaders of the groups in all the countries of the Pacific except Australia, where I am now going.” China’s problem was that of the relation of her population to her food supply, said Pr. Condliffe, whereas Japan was concerned with political organisation. “MAKE OR BREAK INSTITUTE” “The clash of interests in Manchuria makes the country the most dangerous area in the world at the present time. There are three political and economic sets involved—Russian, Chinese and British,” he said. “Therefore, we took the life of the institute in our hands when we decided to attempt to discuss that question on Japanese soil —on the soil of one of the countries so directly interested. “But there is only one way, and that is the use of the utmost frankness and candour.” “It is one of the tricks of the trade to keep the emotions of the delegates down by swamping them wtih authoritative literature and scientific fact. Nevertheless it is a danger spot on which the institute might make or break itself. “The institute is purely an educational body. The delegates to the conference will live together in the same hotel in Japan. It meets in October, will have their meals together, and will have plenty of time to discuss the questions which come before them, “The only thing that the institute aims at, is that the delegates should get to know the other man’s point of view. Pr. Condliffe thought that the work of the institute was such as Rotary should be interested in. He concluded a very interestoing address by challenging the gathering by saying that “If Rotary means anything to you, then this is one of the ways of carrying it out.” The Minister of Marine, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, was a guest at the luncheon. The chairman announced that the Scots comedian, Sir Harry Lauder, would give an address at the luncheon on Monday, April 22. “The last one he eluded a very interesting address by we have ever had,” said tne chairman.