OVERSEAS EMPIRE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 857, 1 July 1910, Page 7

OVERSEAS EMPIRE.

HOUSE OF COMMONS' DEBATE. COLONIAL GOVERNORS ATTACKED. THE COMING CONFERENCE. By Telegraph—Pre&s Association—Copyright. (Rec. Jnno 30, 9.55 p.m.) London, Juno 30. In the Houso of Commons, Colonel f>eoly, TJiuter-Seoretary of. Stale for the Colonies, speaking on the Colonial Office vote, paid a high tributo to Lord Sclborne, lately High Commissioner for South Africa.

With regard to the affairs of Australia and Now Zealand, Colonel Scely doelared that he had nothing to record but what was good. Australia had experienced bountiful harvests, and New Zealand had had a moderately good harvest.

It was desirable that visits similar to that made by Sir Charles Lucas, head of the Dominions Department in the Colonial Office, should l)e a permanent feature of Colonial Office administration.

Continuing, Colonel Seely said there was a real desire in Australia to extend tho immigration policy.

The orcation of a special Secretary of State for tho Dominions was, he thought, only desirable if all the Dominions demanded a change. It was doubtful if tho British Prime Minister would be able to find time to superintend such a department.

Tho preciso dato of the next Imperial Conference could not bo settled until the date of tho Coronation had been fixed. In February, 1900, tho Dominions had been invited to indicate subjects they desired to discuss at the Imperial Conference in 1011. In March, 1910, they were again asked (this timo by telegraph) to do so. Correspondence on the subject was still proceeding.

Mr. Arthur Lynch (Nationalist member for Clare) criticised tho proposal that General Sir lan Hamilton should inspect the troops of tho Overseas Dominions as an attempt to graft upon the Australians a bad system of Imperialism, foreign to Australian sentiment.

Mr. Lynch added that tho Australian Governors were only palo reflexes of tho bad' English constitutional system. Really distinguished men were never sent whom the people could honour.

Colonel Seely interjected, "What about Sir William MacGregor?"

Mr. Lynch admitted that there were exceptions, but the custom was, ho said, to sontl a man whoso only reputation was a' title.

Mr. Wedgewood (Liberal member for Newcastle-under-Lyme) advocated that Australia should promote immigration by a big round tax on land values.

Colonel Seely, speaking in reply, sharply controverted Mr. Lynch's attack on the Australian Governors. Ho also said ho did not believe tho British Government should use tho Secretariat 'to spur on tho Dominions to raise fresh points for the Imperial Conference. Tho Conferenco should bo free and untranielled.

Tho vote was then agreed to. GOVERNORS AND THEIR MINISTERS. "AN EXTRAORDINARY DOCTRINE." (Rec. June 30, 10.30 p.m.) London, Juno 30. In the House of Commons, Mr. LytteJton (Colonial Secretary in tho Balfour Administration) raised an interesting debate upon tho question of tho payment of an allowance of ,£3OO to tho members of tho Transvaal Assembly (tho amount being equivalent to tlio payment for an ordinary session).

Mr. Lyttelton urged that tho Colonial Office should have instructed the Governor, who ought to have prevented what had been definitely declared to be a. breach of tho law.

Mr. Rufus Isaacs replied that the Colonial Office would carefully consider tho matter. He concluded that the Governor ought to do as tho Ministers of the colony advised.

Mr. Balfour said it was an extraordinary doctrine to contend that a Governor was obliged to do illegal acts if his Ministers so advised.

Mr. Steel-Maitlarad (Conservative member for Bingham) declared that tliero had been a gradual declension. Tho Premiers desired that tho nations composing tho Empire should be considered as co-ordinate, and that the Secretariat should be responsible to them all, but tho wholo attitude of tho Colonial Office had been to regard tho United Kingdom as one body and tho Dominions as semi-external appendages, with the Secretariat as a mere addendum to tho Colonial Office.