THE EMPIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 April 1922, Page 5

THE EMPIRE.

DEPENDS ON DOMINIONS. THEIR FUTURE GREATNESS. AUSTRALIAN PREMIER’S VIEWS. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received April 5, 9J20 p.m. London, April 4. The Hon. H. N. Barwell (Premier of South Australia), responding to the toast of his health at the Lord Mayor’s banquet, said that South Australia was Imperially minded. Empire unity was necessary both in defence and trade. The future o-f England ana the Empire depended on the future of the Dominions, because Britain and the Dominions were interdependent. “You could not,” he said, “maintain your position without us, and we certainly could not maintain ours without you., “The Dominions were destined to be-’ come great nations. Any one of them might ultimately surpass Britain in wealth and greatness. Should Britain decline, which God forbid, the Empire’s greatness was assured by the Dominions. Residents of Britain might hear occasionally of disloyal utterances from Australia, but these were merely isolated utterances of irresponsible people, who were often given undue prominence by the Press.” Regarding defence, he said that but for Britain the navy o-f Australia would be an easy prey to the first foreign Power which sought to extend its territories, and that would probably be an Asiatic Power. “There is,” he said, “a, strong body of opinion that rather than attempt "to maintain a navy of our own, we should contribute on a fair and reasonable basis to the maintenance of the British navy.”

Regarding trade, he said the Empire should be self-contained and self-sup-porting. They must keep trade within the Empire. Britain would fall into second place unless she maintained her commercial supremacy, and the Dominions could help to maintain that supremacy. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.