News of the Week
Ottawa THE week has been one of intensely hard work at the Imperial Conference at Ottawa. The chief anxiety springs from the direct negotiations between the repre- sentatives of this country and of Canada. Otherwise good progress is reported. The information, however, that reaches us during this period of delicate and tentative business must be largely based on conjecture. It is most encouraging to be told that New Zealand asked for no formal or detailed discussions. She trusts the Mother- Country to do her justice and to be as generous as we can be. This is better than the methods of the bazaar, where each side makes offers that it is prepared to improve if compelled, the method of the small Oriental tradesman rather than of the close relation in blood. The reports of the meetings with the Australian and South African delegations are satisfactory. The Indian delegates are said to be making a good impression and opening the eyes of some Dominion delegates to a market of which they knew but little. It is particularly satisfactory in quite another direction if Indian business is discussed with confidence in the future. The Report of the Committee on Monetary and Financial Questions is expected immediately.
