§ 41. Lieut.-Colonel Sir E. GRIGGasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that on 2nd April the Prime Minister of Canada stated to the Canadian House of Commons that Canada had not been invited to send representatives to the Lausanne Conference; that in the same statement Mr. Mackenzie King contrasted the procedure adopted at the Lausanne Conference with that previously adopted at the Paris and Washington Conferences; and that the Canadian Government informed the British Government in a despatch, dated 31st December, 1922, that in view of this difference of procedure Canada could not be expected to append her signature to any instruments negotiated at Lausanne; and whether, in view of Mr. King's further statement that Canada would make no objection to the publication of the correspondence, he will under- 24 take to lay it upon the Table of this House?
Mr. THOMASI have read the statement made by the Prime Minister of Canada, in the Canadian House of Commons on 2nd April. I understand that, on 24th April, he stated in answer to a question that he thought that he would be in a position later on to make a further statement. As regards the publication of papers, I cannot add anything to the answer which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member on 9th April.
§ Sir E. GRIGGIn view of the difficulty which there is in reconciling statements in this House and those in the Canadian House of Commons, does the right hon. Gentleman not think that in the interests of the British public and of the British Government papers should be laid?
Mr. THOMASAs I have explained to the hon. and gallant Gentleman, this Government have no objection to laying the papers but, as he is aware, by agreement made at the Imperial Conference, the authority of all the Dominions must be obtained. The authority in this case having been refused the Government have no alternative.
§ Sir E. GRIGGDoes that apply to correspondence solely between the Canadian Government and this Government, the Canadian Government having stated that they are willing to publish papers?
Mr. THOMASNo one knows better than the hon. and gallant Gentleman that the Resolution I have referred to enables any one Dominion to object.
§ Mr. PRINGLEIn view of the fact that this is a correspondence solely between Great Britain and Canada, can there be any objection to publication, seeing that the Dominion Government are anxious for publication?
Mr. THOMASAs a matter of fact, it is not correspondence solely between Canada and this country. The whole correspondence is with a number of Dominions, and not with Canada alone.
§ Sir E. GRIGGCan the right hon. Gentleman undertake to lay papers containing solely the correspondence between the British Government and the Canadian Government?