EMPIRE WAR CABINET.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 June 1917, Page 7

EMPIRE WAR CABINET.

GREAT HISTORICAL EVENT. : me. MASSEY'S impressions. The interesting character of the late visit of the Prime Minister and Sir •Joseph. Ward to Great Britain was touched upon by Mr. Massey in an interview in Auckland. _ Ihat we have had a most interesting time, said Mr. Massey, "goes without saying.. We have Been the heart of the Empires under war conditions, and we have taken part in events which will live in history, and which will form important precedents for the future. I think tile public of New Zealand will realise that when we left New Zealand for England last year in response to the invitation of the Imperial authorities there was no Suggestion of ah Imperial War Cabinet or an Imperial War Conference. Both the Cabinet and the Conference met in due course, though after considerable delay, and right up to the hour of our departure from England we had an extremely ljusy time. The particulars of the work accomplished, so far as it is possible to do so, I will explain to Parliament in duo course. The greater part of the proceedings of the Imperial War Conference has already been published. The proceedings in Cabinet are, of course, strictly private and confidential, and naturally will not appear, though the result of our deliberations will be evidenced from time to time,

IMPORTANCE OF THE CHANGE.

"Prior to the appointment of the Imperial War Cabinet, the 17 millions of Artglo-Sasons resident in the Overseas Dominions had no representation iti regard to foreign policy or Imperial affairs. By what has taken place all this is now altered. The representatives of the Overseas Dominions, as members of. the Imperial War Cabinet, were advisors to the Crown for the first time in history A precedent has been established Which will be followed up by the Prime Ministers or thoroughly representative men from among their colleagues being selected to take their place in the Imperial Cabinet, which is intended to be held annually. The importance of this step cannot be over-estimated, though there is still much more to be done. This will be taken in hand as opportunities offer. What lias been done, however, marks a great advance in the development of constitutional relations, and the usage l thus initiated will gradually, but surely, develop into a recognised convention.

CONDITIONS IN BRITAIN. To show the acuteness of the position in Britain, Mr. Massey mentioned that the forests of the Old Country were being sacrificed to the purpose of supplying timber that was formerly imported., Not long ago a request was made for the services of 70,000 timber-workers—-bushmen, as we would call them—to deal with the timber of the country, and the people who owned that timber were giving it up cheerfully. Then in regard to iron, Britain had long imported the greater pttft of the iron ore it required, because its own ore was inferior, but was now making use of those inferior ores, and- doing it very successfully. Tht whole trouble,, of course, arose from the German submarine. Germany thought she could starve Britain out, but he predicted that she would not do so. There were no potatoes in the country. Seed potatoes were supposed to be available in the planting season at 3d per lb, but there were no food potatoes to buy. Very little sugar was available—only about one-fourth of What was consumed two or three years ago. Flour was not plentiful. There was no white bread, but people were getting very good and wholesome whole-meal bread. These were a few indications of the scarcity of food that existed. But the position was that we were now Within two months of the British harvest. Germany had aimed at starving Britain out before the harvest was gathered, but he could say positively that she would not succeed. Presently the situation would begin to improve in regard to the dealings with submarines. ADDRESSES IN VARIOUS CENTRES. "While Waiting for the meeting of the War Cabinet and the conference, i received invitations from most of the large centres In England to visit them officially, and I took the opportunity of seeing as many as it was possible to do. During the course of my stay In me United Kingdom I delivered over 100 addresses on matters connected with the war, and the position as it affected the Overseas Dominions. I can say that without exception in every centre I met New Zealandera, many of them soldiers, who had been wounded, and were being nursed back to health and strength by kind and hospitable friends in. the locality. Nothing can exceed the hospitality and kindness of the Britishers to our men.

"I am very pleased," added Mr, Massey, "to learn from many different sources that we were missetl during our absence from the Dominion, but we had the satisfaction of knowing that along with our co-representatives from the other Overseas Dominions, we were assisting in a most important Imperial work, and attending to urgently important duties which could not possibly be neglected without serious injury to the Empire and to -New Zealand."