§ Considered in Committee; reported, without Amendment.
§ 3.45 P.m.
§ The Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations (Mr. Philip Noel-Baker)I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read the Third time."
I only wish to say how gratifying it was to all of us that there was such unanimity in our Debate on Second Reading yesterday. I hope that the people of New Zealand will see the Debates in both Houses of our Parliament, and will accept them as our tribute to their Dominion, as the expression of our deep affection for them and our recognition of the greatness of the ahievements of New Zealand under Parliamentary government, both in peace and war.
§ Mr. Mitchison (Kettering)My own grandfather was in two New Zealand Governments, and I still have great interest in the country and would like to make one observation about New Zealand. I think my grandfather received from the last of the Maori chiefs who surrendered the jade object which represented his chieftainship, and which was given and received on the understanding that the Maoris should keep their rights in New Zealand. When I was in the country about a year ago, the Maori representative in the New Zealand Cabinet gave me a message of goodwill because I was an English Member of Parliament, and, I think I may add, an English Labour Member of Parliament, though at that time I said to him that I saw no prospect of ever delivering it. Perhaps I may say on this occassion that the relations between the Maoris and the people of New Zealand are a singular and noble instance of a conquered race living with their conquerors in amity and partnership, and that this fact does the greatest credit to both races and is one of the greatest achievements in the whole history of the British Commonwealth of Nations.
§ 3.48 p.m.
§ Mr. Oliver Stanley (Bristol, West)I only rise to say with what great regret I heard the hon. and learned Gentleman 856 opposite impart what has been completely absent from the Debates hitherto, and that is any question of party capital or party heat. Tributes have been paid on all sides of this House to New Zealand as a people and a race, irrespective of the particular party affiliations which may happen to be in force at the time, and I only want to say that, to those of us on this side of the House, the mere fact that New Zealand has a Government that is of a complexion to which, in this country, we should be opposed, makes no difference whatsoever to the affection and respect which we hold for that country.
§ Bill accordingly read the Third time, and passed, without Amendment.