Mr Seddon and the Empire.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 374, 9 July 1903, Page 5

Mr Seddon and the Empire.

The Right Hon. the Premier hag received the following communication from the Imperial Federation (Defence) Committee:—"The Imperial Federation (Defence) Committee has observed with much satisfaction the admirable speech delivered by you in March last, in which you pointed out to your countrymen, with that combination of patriotism and political foresight that always characterised your utterances, that the burden of Imperial responsibilities at present resting upon the Mother Country was becoming very heavy, and that as the dangers to the commerce, trade, and manufactures of the Empire increased, it would become all the greater. The Committee joina v, ith you in the regret which you then expressed that a publication of the report of the Conference of Premiere has not been carried out by the Governments of the Empire, and it has instructed me to forward to, you 950 copies of this phamplet No. 19, containing extracts from those speeches made at the Conference which tend to emphasise the. fact to which you so wisely and patriotically call attention. My Committee trusts that you may be able, by the distribution of these papers in New Zealand, to spread ihat knowledge of the needs of the Empire—for the due maintenance of its dignity, and for the security of its people and. their interests—which you have endeavored to bring home to your hearers in all parts of the Empire. My Committee also hopes that these publications may serve to show the people of New Zealand how earnest is the desire of both the people and the rulers of the United Kingdom to secure their actual co-operation in the work of maintaining and administering the Empire to which they all belong."