OUR GOVERNOR

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 838, 9 June 1910, Page 6

OUR GOVERNOR

INTERESTING SPEECH

COMING WORK IN NEW ZEALAND.

Lord Islington, the newly-elected Governor of New Zealand, was the guest.of the West India Club at a dinner at the Howard Hotel, Norfolk Street, London, on April 27. Sir Daniel Morris presided, and among others present were Mr. R. H. M'Carthy, Mr, W. Hall-Jones, High.Commissioner for Now Zealand; the Columbian Minister, Sir Robert Llowelyc, Sir Owen Philipps, M.P., Sir Charles Lacas, and the Charge d'Affaires for Bolivia.

: In replying to the toast of his health, : which was proposed by the chairman, Lord Islington said tho only regret thnt he had in the position that had been conferred upon him was that.it would .necessitate his very early departure from England to take up his office, and would . therefore entail, to a certain extent, the curtailment of that detailed work Which was necessary in connection with tho framing of the report of the Royal Commission *on trade relations between Canada and the West Indies. Ho was encouraged,' however, by the belief that the report would in no way ho impaired by his absence, and he was sure that when the time came for the report to be submitted to the public it would have recommendations in it which, if given effect to by tho Governments concerned, would make a substantial move towards facilitating the closer trade relationship between Canada and tho West Indian colonies. (Applause.) Ho looked forward with hope and pleasure to the prospect of taking up in New Zealand that high and responsible position to which he had been called. (Applause.) The task that lay before him was one to which he would address himself with all the energy that lay in his : power, and that task would, he was sure, be made easy for him because of the character and tho quality of _ that I section of our race that inhabited those distant territories of tho King/s Dominions beyond the Seas. (Applause.) He looked forward to throwing himBelf in a few weeks' time actively and sympathetically into the work which properly laj within tho domain of a Governor of New Zealand. There was, he believed, ample scope to bo found for work of that character both in regard to the social and the industrial life - of the -people who inhabited that Dominion. And ther6 would also be that important task, which always fell upon those who occupied a position like his, of assisting the development of the desire so repeatedly manifested by those in tho Dominion of New Zealand to strengthen those tics of friendship and affection which bound them to the Mother : Country. (Cheers.) Referring to his work as a member of the Royal Commission on the trade relations between Canada and the West Indies, ho said that one of the things that impressed itself upon him during .his tour through those colonies was the desire throughout them both to bring about at as early a stage as possible a closer interchange of trade between the two countries. If the sugar industry in the West Indies was to go forward with prosperity those occupied in it must use all modern appliances, must employ all modern methods, and that would go a very long way. to increasing their trade .and enlarging their profit. There was not • a great disposition on the part of those having! a foreign connection to favour a reciprocal arrangement with Canada. That was due to the natural apprehension that such an arrangement might have the effect of disturbing their trade, and creating resentment on the part of tho countries affected. He believed those fears and apprehensions had been exaggerated by those connected with those industries. (Hear, hear.) He could not believe that a. family arrangement, if discreetly, and judiciously established between component parts of the Empire, was going to be regarded as a \ hostile act by foreign countries. Would it not be wiser and more farseeing on the part of those islands of the West Indies; to make such arrange•ments with Canada as would ensure a great and expanding trade with that great Dominion. (Applause.) This must not be taken by those critics who would like to make capital out of it as meaning that ho was a convert to Tariff Reform. (Laughter.) He'hoped the West Indies as a whole would como into this reciprocal scheme. l He believed tho people of Canada, and of tho West Indian Islands realised that this was a rare opportunity not to be missed, a rare opportunity to improve and increaso- 1 their trado interests, to unite two impor-' tint parts of the British Dominions, and ' to add another binding link to the chain of Empire. (Cheers.)