EMPIRE POLICY.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 January 1920, Page 5

EMPIRE POLICY.

AUJBGED SLIGHT TO DOMINIONS. 1920 IMPERIAL CONFERENCE NEVER ;* ' INTENDED. 11l the course of an interview with a Wellington Times representative the Prime Minister (Mr. W. F. Massey) made reference to the cabled statement by Mr. Keith Murdoch, published in Wednesday's paper, that the expectations of the Imperial Conference being held in 1920 ere dwindling, that a leading Minister connected with the Colonial Office admitted in conversation that the theory that the- Dominfems are equal nations, is not working well in practice, and that the Minister suggested that the Dominion Premiers should permit second Ministers to represent them sometimes in London, though it was admitted that this.involved a trusted partnership iwdi is «dstsd in ihe case of General Botha and General Smuts. j "It was never intended," stated Mr. Muiey, "to hold an Imperial Conference in 1920. It was always understood that the Dominions, and even the United Kingdom itself would require at least a year for the cleaning up neeestery after the war period. As to the reference to a leading Minister connected with the Colonial Office, I do not know who he toy be, bat I know that it was not Lord Mflner (Secretary of State for the Colonies), because he has expressed to me the opinion that the new arrangetnsntt by which the Dominions became |Mftoer» fn As Enroire. has worked very waD. Unfortunately,-Lord Milner is no* tawjn frafcfrprt.Jtasg away in Egypt fct ike want Obm."