Still Strong recta To THe "ne.
London, Dee. 16. future ofthe British Bmpire at the Reference to his speech on Constitutional Club on Tuesday" was made by Mr. Malcolm MacDonald, the Dominions and Colonial Secretary, at a farewell luncheon yesterday Sir Harry Batterbee, new British High Commissioner for New Zealand, at the Royal Empire Society, Mr. Mine Donald hypothetically, yet good hu-manredly, referred 1 the wrong deduction whish might possibly be drawn by newspapers from the incidental remarks in the speech he was then making.
do not think, despite what T am reported to have' said," the Colonial Secretary " declared, "that much strengthening of the ties between the Dominions and this country is needed; and. perhaps no strengthening of the ties between New Zealand and this country is needed."
'A firm defence of Mr. MacDonala was made by the Prime Minister, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, in the House of Commons yesterday in reply to questions provoked by perturbation over Mr. MacDonald's speech regarding the future of the British Commonwealth of nations.
Both Mr. Arthur Henderson, Labour member for the Kingswinford division of Staffordshire, and It-Cmdr. R. 7. Flecher, Labour member for the Nuneaton division of Warwickshire, asked it Mr. MacDonald's address expressed the Government's policy.
Tu reply, Mz. Chamberlain said that the speech, which was only partially reported. in the press, "included a Slatement on various influences at Work inthe Commonwealth of nations, and it gave the Minister's reasons' for his firm faith that the nations of the Commonwealth will sur-wive In ce-operation together, what-fever crisis they may have (0 face in future" (cheers)—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.