IMPERIAL POLITICS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 238, 6 April 1912, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS

THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

THE TRADES COMMISSION.

By Cable —Press Association—Copyright. Received 5, 10.2.5 p.m. London, April 4. Mr. Henry Page Croft, member for Christehurch, in the House of Commons, drew attention to the lack of organisation of Imperial affairs and the Government's failure to carry out the Imperial Conference proposals, including preference. The Colonial Office had failed to respond to the changing conditions of the times. Major Archer-Shee, member for Finsbury, suggested sending trained experts to the colonies and protectorates. The Government ought, he said, to form a subsidiary conference to deal with a State-owned Atlantic cable. ■Mr. H. Samuel, Postmaster-General, replying, repeated what had been done in the way of cable reductions. He adhered to the statement that an Atlantic cable would involve aSO per cent. loss. The House would be ill-advised to press the Government to incur the expenditure. Mr. L. V. Harcourt, Colonial Secretary, said that the Govenment had taken defi-. Bite action on the twelve subjects raised at the last conferenae, including copyright, patents, accident compensation, exhibitions, naturalisation revision of treaties, enforcement of court judgments, commercial awards, and wireless communications, while the Bill for strengthening the appeal courts would be reintroduced this session. The Times states that the Opposition are surprised at the composition of the commission. The Opposition consider that the Government has not adopted an understanding that the personnel of the commission should be of the first importance and impartial. It complains that statesmen like Lord Grey and Lord Balfour of Burleigh were not asked to i join it. Several of those appointed were fiscal extremists or insufficiently trained in trade and commerce. • ———^——i-