IMPERIAL PROBLEMS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 581, 9 August 1909, Page 5

IMPERIAL PROBLEMS.

THOUGHT AND ACTION. SPEECH BY SIR JOSEPH WARD. THE FUTURE OF THE EMPIRE. (By Telegraph.- I'rcsu Assnclatlmi -OopyrlcUt.) . (Rec. August 8, 5.5 p.m.) ■London, August.7.. Tho Imperial Co-operation Lenguo entertained Sir Joseph Ward at a banquet, the guests including Lady Ward, Lord Hampden, Rear-Admiral Ottlo}-, Sir Sandford Fleming, Dr. Fitchett, Admiral Freemautie, Mr.Cathoairt Wason, M.P., and. Messrs. P. Kennedy and Arthur Myers (Auckland). Lord Onslow, who presided, remarked that the present conference was a great milestone on the road to federation. New Zealand's spontaneous offer of'a Dreadnought gave a splondid impulse to the maintenance' and continuity of tho Imperial Conferences. Lord Onslpw emphasised New Zoaland's action in placing Imperial defence in the forefront of her aspirations,, and concluded by oxprcssing the hope that Sir Joseph Waxd would continue to give a lead ' to the Empire in order that "we might be united in one common defence." • ' Sir Joseph Ward, in responding, said he understood the main purpose of the League was to help people to think Imperially. (Cheers.), "Intelligent thought easily passes into action," ho went, on to say,-"and as soon as the bulk' of us think and act-to-gether on great Imperial questions the true consolidation and safety of the Empire will Ibe assured. (Cheers.) The Empire is so vast and so diverse in its conditions and interests that the problem of co-operation and consolidation will tax the wisest heads'." He said defence was the foundation whereon the whole Imperial superstructure must rest. It was stated on the one hand that I thore was need of : one absolutely unfettered centre of control to enable the whole forces qf the Empiro to be directed to one point in case of necessity. It was stated on the other hand that the oversoa Dominions would not bo justified in leaving themselves locally helpless; but they would do their best to relieve the Motherland qf all or much of theburden of local defence, each Dominion con-, trolling its own unit. These two apparently conflioting views were worthy of all tho efforts that were being made by statesmen in 'all.parts of the Empire in their endeavours to solve the problem. He could not bo expected to express an opinion or enter, into details-concerning the problem, or to attempt to reconcile the two yiows while the Naval Conference was , sitting. He could, however/say that'all present wero animated hy an earnest desire to help forward the great work of the Empire/ . ;. Value r of Conforencos, 'Defence,, he said, though undoubtedly tho greatest, was. not tho-only Imperial matter wherein the. interests of the Motherland and the oversea. Dominions were not, identical. He instanced- shipping, regarding which he said tho existence of conflicting interests had been recognised, and an earnest ■ effort'had ■ been made to remove or reconoile them by conference. . ■ , ' Ho believed in conferences. Days of honest, earnest .talk round Q. table often .accomplished more than years 'of memorandumprinting. Isolated arid intermittent conferences were makeshifts at the best in his judgment. Somp scheme of continuity must be devised, or-they must evolve :pno, ; . Personally, •he had unlimited faith in the capacity, of that remarkable'-figment called 'the ißritislh"Constitution, which was not "phe.incomprehensible," but many, incomprehonEibles: born nobody precisely knows when or how,-and consisting of what no man precisely knows. . ■ . i.

Referring to the League's work, Sir Joseph said; Should they send a'representative to New , . Zealand he would be heartily welcomed, and New Zealanders would do their utmost to make'him feel that ho was in a .British country. He wou)d he made at homo , as nujch'as if he \y?s in Kngland,. •■ , No Doqadence.' Sir Joseph said he did not believq thero was any decadence in England. Visitors who saw at Portsmouth those splendid lines of battleships. with 50,000 seamen ready for striking recognised that at heart tho nation Was true, and their one Sesiro was to elevate Old England to a still higher piano by removing any , ascertainable causes that suggest ckoadenco to the minds of somo pprtiona of the community. :.. ~ ■•...'

He proceeded to enjpbasise thp need of improved cable communication in the direct tipn of cheapness without doing injury to tho owners of private cables. Ihis would bring into close touch peoples in all parts of thp Empire. . It was a great cause they were working for, and he would gladly do anything'in his power to help thoso engaged in what he regarded .as a great Empire movement. (Cheers.) He appreciated, Lord Onslpw's kindly allugion'to New Zealand's offer of a Dreadnought, and claimed no credit in doing what he considered his duty. Apart from the intrinsic worth of the Dreadnought, the offer had a moral effect' incomparably greater. It was by co-operation in this and other directions that they could do so much to figuratively, and, indeed, literally, bring the ■oversea Dominions into real and closer touch with the Motherland. He had great faith in the capacity of tho British Constitution to adapt itself to changes which must come if the-nation was to abide as one great whole, instead of splitting off into fragments. "In that day," Sir Joseph concluded, "the oversea Dominions will not be dependencies, they will be your co-heirs in the mighty Empire, sharing with you, besides the burden of defence, the privilege and responsibility of government." (Cheers,) DEFENCE. ; London, j August 6. The Imperial Defence Conference is sitting to-day. Th,e discussion on naval matters is not yet finished. ■