IMPERIAL CONFERENCE OPENED

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18139, 2 October 1930, Page 7

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE OPENED

COMPLETE ABSENCE OF CEREMONIAL.

MR. RAMSAY MACDONALD ELECTED CHAIRMAN

MESSAGE OF FEALTY TO HIS MAJESTY.

United Press Association.—E' (Received Oct. LONDON, Oct. 1. Shorn of the glamour of a ceremonial) opening, the Imperial Conference assembled at 10.a.m. at the Looarno room of the Foreign Office almost unnoticed so far as the public were concerned, and for six weeks the only link with the public will be formal daily press communiques and perhaps an occasional talk by Right .Hon. J. H. Thomas (Secretary of State for the Dominions), if the conference today agrees to his proposal that he should be the press liaison officer. Each delegation arrived in a State limousine which was provided by the British Government, each bearing the silken flag of its country. Talkies and cameras buzzed. The delegations then went to the Locarno room where the tables were arranged in a hollow square. Mr MacDonald had Mr J. H. Seullin (Australia), on his right and Mr G. W. Forbes (New Zealand) on his left. IMr MacDonald made the opening speech, being followed by Messsrs Bennett (Canada), Seullin, and Forbes, and General I-lertzog (South Africa), : and others. j The proceedings of the Conference I opened with Mr Bennett proposing and I Mr Seullin seconding that Mr MacDonald should be chairman.

Chairman of the Conference. >Mr MacDonald moved and General Hertzog (as- the only Prime Minister present in 1926), seconded the Conference’s first official act —a desire to present its respectful duty to His Majesty, joining in thankfulness for His Majesty’s restoration to health, and earnestly hoping that Their Majesties would be spared many years to inspire feelings of the love and affection which unite all Britishers under the crown. His Majesty’s reply was read to the Conference. It sincerely thanked the Conference, on behalf of himself and the Queen, and added: “I am especially touched with the kind allusions to my restoration to health. Realising all the important -questions that will be considered I shall follow with close attention the progress of your deliberations.” The Conference paid tribute to the memory of , late Lord Balfour; Mr O’Higgins, Sir Joseph Ward, Sir N. Howse and Lord Birkenhead. It agreed to establish a general economic committee of experts to which the more detailed technical and economic subjeots will be referred. The Conference met for the first time in the afternoon to arrange procedure, and it agreed to the special arrangements made for the representation of Southern Rhodesia on the committee dealing with questions affecting Southern. Rhodesia.

Freedom and Unity. Mr. MacDonald, who welcomed the delegates, said the Conference had to consider the three main aspects of problems of common concern. Firstly, political and* constitutional relations, on which general principles were laid down and accepted by all in 1926. Secondly, the question concerning relations with foreign powers, particularly how the Empire’s combined influence could forward the work of disarmament and the establisment of machinery for a peaceful settlement of disputes between the nations. ; Thirdly, the acute trade depression from which the whole world, including ourselves, is suffering, making them give special attention to the problem of their own economic relations, remembering each’s, contracts with other nations. Each Government (had to accommodate Itself. They would nevertheless bend their energies to devising practical and economic means of helping each other to make as great a contribution as they could to the solution thereof. It was their task, and if they succeeded it would be because they had confidence in each other, Inspired by the spirit of free discussion which characterised the union. The speeches which followed Mr. MacDonald’s emphasised Mr. MacDonald’s suggestion that the problems before the Conference, however difficult, should be solved in accordance with the free association characterised by the unity of the British Commonwealth.

Mr. Scullin’s Speech. Mr Scullin said: “Our success will be judged by the progress we achieve towards empire economic co-opera-tion. The instinct of our peoples is wholly right. The better ordering of our production, both agriculture and industry, and our trade has become a matter of vital urgency. In Australia, as in Britain, unemployment consequent, at least in part, on worldwide depression has become a matter of gravest concern. The lack of markets is prejudicing the welfare of millions of our people. The Empire could supply all its agricultural products and all but a few of its mineral products. We can guarantee one another markets for most commodities capable of absorbing a far greater volume of production. Britain’s agricultural imports exceed £750,000,000 or which 37 per cent, are of Empire origin. If the Governments of the Empire decide upon a definite forward policy of economic co-operation, Llie

lectrio Telegraph. Copyright. 2, 9.55 a.m.) Commonwealth will do Its part." New Zealand’s Viewpoint. Mr Forbes acknowledged Mr MacDonald’s welcome, and regretted that Sir Joseph Ward had not lived to attend the conference, which would be deprived of his wisdom and lengthy experience. He continued: “We meet here in circumstances in one sense encouraging and in another depressing. The international situation is now greatly improved, and there is increasing strength in the movement towards peace and disarmament. This may well give cause for gratification. On the other hand, we are facing a period ‘of serious economic depression, and I earnestly trust the deliberations of the conference will result in measures which will assist in alleviating the position. A great deal is expected from the conference with reference to economic subjects, and failure on our pjart to agree upon a concrete and effective policy for the common benefit will cause great disappointment throughout the Empire. New Zealand is not concerned greatly in the recent developments as to the constitutional relations between the members of the Empire. We have felt always—wjthin recent years, especially so—that we have had ample scope for our national aspirations, and ample freedom to'carry them out in their entirety. We value our close connection with the United Kingdom and our sister Dominions. We would have been well content to allow constitutional relationships to settle themselves in accordance with the necessity of the position and the requirements of the time, but we recognise that considerations applicable to one Dominion are not necessarily applicable to all. It may be hoped that all questions regarding status will be settled finally at this conference. In a commonwealth of six equal partners, differing markedly in history, internal organisation, industrial development, economic orientation, and centrifugal influences,' there must be a tendency for the weakening of our association in the absence of some effective means of evolving a common policy of action.” Mr Forbes . concluded by stating that he and his colleagues were of opinion that this outstanding problem was at the moment of achievement of a common understanding and a common policy. To this their efforts would be mainly directed, hoping that the Governments represented would find it possible to divert their attention from status to co-operation.

General Hertzog Critical. .General Hertzog said: “I am ffully conscious of the very important functions of the conference. It will finally adjust the outstanding constitutional questions arising out of the 1926 decision, which must be formally sanctioned and considered in detail.” Referring to the economic policy, General Hertzog said: ’’South Africa viewed with concern Britain’s prospective abolition of existing tariff benefits. Britain's position as a great Commonwealth market for Dominion products must necessarily, in the event of her deciding to change her existing policy be detrimental to the Dominions’ interests and exercise a determining influence upon their policy. It is, therefore, clear that the Dominions’ eventual course must mainly depend upon the manner and extent to which their interests wall be affected by Britain’s policy. “I hope,” added the South African Prime Minister, “that in no case will the conference despair of arriving at a solution which will prevent the evil effects of Britain’s change of policy assuming the character of . a disaster to those who, believing in the stability of inter-commonwealth economic relations, -have been induced, in good faith to make investments on the basis of that belief.”

FORMAL BUT IMPRESSIVE. DETERMINATION TO ACHIEVE. ECONOMIC PROBLEMS TO THE FORE United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received October 2, 1.55 p.in.) LONDON, October 1-. “What I welcomed most at the opening session of my first Imperial Conference was the emphasis which practictally all the speakers gave to economic problems," declared Mr Forbes.

Though the actual . proceedings were formal, all the Prime Ministers simply reading their speeches, the surroundings of the historic room lent dignity and impressiveness to the occasion. One could not but be impressed with the fact that the delegates, though nearly all strangers to one another and to the Imperial Conference, represent a large proportion of the world’s population. Mr Forbes added: “We have met with high hopes and a determination that, in this time of world-wide economic depression we will reach definite and practical achievements for the benefit of tire whole population of the Empire. We shall be most disappointed if we do not register real economic arojiress.”