IMPERIAL MATTERS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 930, 24 September 1910, Page 3

IMPERIAL MATTERS.

—4 . SHOULD PARLIAMENT DISCUSS THEM? ; VIEWS OF ME. HERRIES. A distinctly Imperialistic note was sounded by Mr. Herries in; the course of his speech on tho Imprest Supply Bill ■in tho House of Representatives yesterday afternoon.'" ' . - ■ ;/: Mr. Herries based his remarks on the question raised by .Mr. Malcolm with • regard to what , was going to take place at .tho 'Imperial' Conference next' year. Mr. Herries said ' lie thought that if the colonies vrero going to be. consulted, if a sort'of Imperial Council was to' .lie held, the matters to be discussed there should be laid before the" legislatures of the colonies concerned.; He thought, arrangements'; shoiild bo made whereby the' order paper or the matters to - be discussed should.be sent forward:to the different dominions and colonies some time' beforo the' (inference, so. that they could. give their-opinion as to ..the' attfc tude that_ should be taken up. : If" the Prime Minister was going Home he would probably . hold a short Parliament; before he; went,' as - was dono beforo ' tho lat conference. By "that time . the order paper. ' for 'the conference would probably be out, and the Prime Minister" shouldj - he thought', - consider the;;question of he should; sub-mit-to ,tlie House the questions to be dealt, with by the conference./ / If . this were done (continued • Mr. Horri6s) lie > was; sure. '-.'tho-: questions . would; not bo treated in any : way. in a party spirit'.' The/expression of opinion .so. giyen' and voiced: by the- -. Premier would, bo thought, carry moro weighty than what'was .now 'practically the private, opinion': of ..the Premier; 'or, at most,, of Cabinet; -.. Now was tho time;; for . laying'., the); 'foundationof a lasting.;';connection':,-,between.-/New,; Zealand and- the Mothor Country.-. How .this was to ;be done he could: not- at present offer ah opinion. ; .At present wev seemed: to . be. drifting as far" as Imperial matters';were' concerned.;'. This. Vms all right: with ,a ,sympathetic Ministry. m power :at .Home, - but-with' -a change of . .Ministry - - .the position might , be..' very ' much . altered. Tho. : -Imperial • Government > should consult tho colonial. Cabmets ■* in - re--gard.; to; all matters . concerning them. Now.. Zealand,-; and ■ the/other-colonies ; should have a voice-on tho question, of ir® ■ strengthj.and; .distribution ■ ; of / the ■ Navy and the - Army, .also &: yoico ontho. question-: of ~peace or i war./;'.'lt '- was ; I»3sibl&—but ; God--'forbid • that it should happen!-—that.u&n . attempt' / might", be. made to barter, a colony in the:, case of (lifter to tho Empire. In .conclusion, ho ; would llko to know whether tho; Premier .would giro tho House a chance >d discuss tho matters 'which .• ooiiio .the' nest. couferencs. ; ;Mr. • Majcolm (Clutha). .'iho-ught'vitliat a day should be set apart for a'< debate. on .Imperial matters'.'; In the courso of his remarks, : Mr.. Herries had shown j , ?y® .Mirie.slvri'tt--in-the, scope,-of ,;such: a. discussion; l /. - . , totlie -matter, the 'Premier said .that' it; would be.impossiblo ; to-dis-' cuss it that. night; ; In: ; order,! to remove any misconceptionj he'might'- mcntiotf. that. when;;ho -'represented/;;; the; Dominion at a conference .-.Jie never .bound, the, wasalways .the/ reservation that Parliament, must agree. It might. so happen'-that, his view. • was/rejected ac a conference;' and then h© . could//not-::Kelp referring ; /it' ta our. Parliament. :'lf all the matters .that were.to.'c'ome 'iip/at conference were discussed m the - House', how lonpf would, :it ■tak(9?. i v r -v j CbiJld; ; a: -decision l on: • n.'* •' V'' J>V arrirwl at in a m ° n ™?, It. might happen ..that ;no resolutions would be passed,"arid 'then tho representative of the Dominion would-not Icnow, how -ho was to' act; '- Mr. Malcolm: That is how you-co at' present. . ... •;; - '/J:?: ■/■!--' ■y Sir Joseph: Do yon think. the 'House should discuss all the questions }) - Mr. .Malcolm: Give us- the' cliance. .pir Joseph.: We 11,,1 have no ob lection. ■ liut I think wo should; wait until we fro invited-to tliev.coiiference. 1 .!/::'/'. Mr. .T.. E. .-Taylor: .-Wo have plenty clso to do • Mr...Allen: -■ Has: no invitation- been received?.: • s-:.r Sir Joseph:, No, I not-yet. - '