London, June 20.
'Mr.' J. H. Thomas, Secretary of! State for the Dominions, speaking in the House of Commons this evering, when the Dominions Ofice voi was taken, said that the Statute of Westminster created an entirely new situation In the relationship between the Mother Country and the Dominions. In short, each Dominion has absolute freedom to determine its own development, 'The recent Jubilee celebration was in itself the best indication of the family spirit and the sense of unity of the British Empire, The presence in London of so many' representative Dominions statesmen gave them an opportunity to discuss the whole situation concerning imperial and foreign policy.
In "their "discussions on foreign' affairs and imperial defence, attempt was made to ask any Prime Minister to bind his Government, All the Dominions sympathized with the policy of the British Government and declared that it must continue its efforts for peace, bearing always in mind the value of the League of Hons as an effective instrument to that end, On the question of defence, Mr, thomas, said the Dominions, without solitary exception, agreed that, in view of the present state of inade-Quay, which had arisen as the result of Britain's effort to set an example to the world in armaments reduction, it was an essential duty to the people of Britain and in the Empire to see, that the steps to repair national fences already announced, should be undertaken, Dealing with the Imperial economte position, Mr, Thomas said the United Kingdom delegation at the Ottawa Conference had stated they must Fetain the right, rst to consider th interests of the people in. Brital secondly, they wish to encourage and. develop all parts of the Empire' by giving preference; "and. thirdly, by no means last in importance, they. must not be unmindful of the' vital Importance of their export trade with foreign countries, An indication of the stimulant to Amperial trade provided by. Ottava @ecisions, Mr. Thomas aid that Canada in 1932 exported to the United Kingdom, goods and produce worth £43,000,000 und in 1984" £50,500,000 fan Increase of 17 per cent, Australia in 1932, sent £48,000,000 worth of goods and produce, and in 1034 £50,000,000 worth, an increase of 8.7 per cent, New Zealand sent £87,000,000 worth in 1982, and £40,500,000 in 1934, an increase of nine per cent, The United Kingdom exported Capada in 1032, £17,500,000 worth of Goods, and, in 1984, 121,000,000 worth, increase of '20 per ' cent. To Australia tu 1992, £20,600,000; 1084, £27,000,000. "ro New Zealand 1999, 10,500,000; in 1094, £11, 500,000.
The figures for South Africa were even more signifeant. The United Kingdom exports in 1932 were £18,- 500,000; and, in 1984, they had risen to 231,000,000.
Mr. Thomas claimed that these figures were a complete justification of the Ottawa policy. It was. such Justification that, without exception, every Dominion that was a party the Ottawa Agreements could at the present moment show a budget surplus and a certain: tendency towards rosperity.—Wireless through Reuter,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.