The Waikato Times SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1937. FROM TWO ANGLES.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20278, 21 August 1937, Page 6

The Waikato Times SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1937. FROM TWO ANGLES.

The visit of the Minister of Finance to Great Britain -was the longest on record, and in the statement he made on his return Mr 2vash reviewed generally the many matters that had occupied his attention. There may be a difference of opinion as to the value of the results achieved, but there is no room for any difference as to the continued activities and efforts of the Minister while he was abroad. For some reason, explainable only as an effort to forestall criticism, the official Labour journal has made a statement with regard to the length of the visit and the reasons for it. It claims that the work done by Mr Nash would “ result in greatlyincreased trade for the Dominion/’ and then proceeds to explain tlie difficulties tlio Minister had to face. In the first place, the undue length of the visit is said to have been due to the fact that “the British Government called him to London before it was actually prepared to begin wide-scale negotiations and then delayed him further by not formulating its dairy policy.” But it was understood that Mr Nash would be in London to join forces with the Prime Minister in representing the Dominion at the Imperial Conference and the final plenary session was not held until Juno 15. There wero other later gatherings in London which the Minister had to attend, and then he visited some Continental countries, so that there does not appear to have been any undue delay at that stage. The Minister himself, addressing a luncheon club in Wellington on Thursday, stated that ho had left earlier than was originally intended “because an international meat conference had been called,” and New Zealand was strongly opposed to representatives of foreign countries taking part. And no one could possibly know better than the Minister. There is a third marked divergence. It concerns the attitude of the British authorities. The Labour journal said that “ probably the greatest obstacle faced was that arising from the fact that be was a Labour Minister negotiating with a Government whose policy was opposed to Labour.” In his speech Mr Nash said that “ New Zealand's relations with Great Britain were completely friendly, and lie had been amazed to find the willingness of the United Kingdom to do more for New Zealand than for any other country.” Apparently “the greatest obstacle” was never even noticed by the Minister.