BUDGET DEBATE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10601, 6 April 1912, Page 5

BUDGET DEBATE

SOME PERTINENT QUESTIONS THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. (Received Last Night, 5.5 o'clock.) LONDON, April 4. Mr H. Page-Croft, Unionist member for Christchurch, speaking in the Budget debate in tlie House of Commons, drew attention to the lack of organisation in Imperial affairs, and to the Government's failure to carry out the Imperial Conference proposals, including those in regard to preference. The Colonial Office, he said, had fa l )- cd to report on the changing condition'; of the times. . Major M. Arclier-Shec, Unionist, member for Central Finsbury, suggested the .sending of trained experts to the Colonies and Protectorates as Trade Commissioners. He asked why Um Government had not formed a subsidiary Conference, as promised, to deal with a State-owned Atlantic cable. The. Right Hon. H. Samuel, Post-master-General, in reply, repeated what had been done in the way of cable reductions..- He. adhered to "the statement that the Atlantic cable would involve a fifty.-'per. cent loss. The House would be ill-advised in pressing the Government' to incur such an expenditure. . The Right Hon. L. Harcourt, Secretary of State for the Colonies, said the Government had taken definite action in regard to twelve of, the subjects raised at the last Imperial Conference, including the questions of copyright, patents, accident compensation, exhibitions, naturalization revision, treaties, enforcement of Court judgments, commercial awards, and wireless communication. A Bill !strengthening the Appeal Court will 1 be re-introduced this session'.