THE EMPIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 June 1921, Page 5

THE EMPIRE.

BRITAIN AND DOMINIONS. SEEKING CLOSER RELATIONS. A DIFFICULT PROBLEM. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received June 19, 5.5 p.m. London, June 17. Mr. W. M. Hughes, interviewed by the Daily Telegraph, eaid there had been a good deal of talk recently about changes in Imperial relationship and were made to establish an Imperial Council—even an Imperial Parliament. “I am radically opposed to both if they are to be endowed with authority to legislate or are to have executive authority to act for the whole Empire,” said Mr. Hughes. “The practical difficulties are insuperable, and such proposals would not be acceptable to the Dominions; at any rate, not to Australia. Those who make the suggestion do not seem to understand the principle lon which the British Commonwealth of Nations rests —namely, complete autonomy. Even at this moment there is uneasiness in the minds of some people in the Dominions lest their rights be impaired; yet, along with this determination to govern themselves in their own way there is a recognition of the necessity for unity as regards matters that affect the Empire. “The problem is to find means by which the two apparently conflicting attitudes may be adjusted. It is clear that the Dominions can never have a real voice in the settlement of Imperial matters through being represented at London continuously by representatives of their own Governments. The only way is to bring the various Governments into daily touch with one another. When Downing Street can speak to Melbourne and Ottawa to Wellington by telephone we shall have done something to give every part of the Empire an equal opportunity of expressing opinions which should be the authoritative opinions, not merely of Governments, but of Parliaments. I feel certain that a short time after the erection of a wireless chain throughout the Empire the wireless telephone would permit of such discus-sions.”—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.