The Dominion. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1910. A FORGOTTEN DUTY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 968, 8 November 1910, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1910. A FORGOTTEN DUTY.

The Prime Minister appears to have forgotten his promise to afford tho House an opportunity of discussing the subjects that arc likely to be raised, and that New Zealand would like its representative to raise, afc the Imperial Conference next year. He might just as well ignore his promise altogether as to defer tho matter until tho very end of the session, when proper consideration of any subject is practically impossible. Tho question of the sessional arrangements for 1911 has also to bo considered. The circumstances of the Prime Minister's departure to London last year have not been forgotten by the public, which is by no means disposed to show any; tolerance for another subordination of the country's interests to the political necessities of the Ministry. We said at the time, and we still beliovo, that there was no occasion for the adjournment of tho session last year. Some people thought otherwise. But even these cannot dare to say that a single reason exists for any interference with the sessional arrangements next year. In onequarter, certainly, it was solemnly asserted the other day that "our duty to the Empire" required, not only that a Parliamentary bodyguard, should accompany the Prime Minister to tho Coronation, but that Parliament should not sit in Sir Joseph Ward's absence; but even so obliging a friend of tho Government as the lyUdton Times felt constrained to declare that such a suggestion was wildly absurd. No reason exists for a- departure from the precedent of the year 1902. Like tjie year 1911, that, year was an election year, a'Ooronation year, and an Imperial Conference year, and Mr. Seddon did hot think it .necessary to disturb tho normal course of the Parliamentary arrangements. Wo can hardly believe that the Prime Minister will have the boldness to use the exhaustion and impatience of the House in the dying hours of the session.to carry out the design with which he has allowed himself to be credited. Even should he attempt any such thing, we cannot believe that many members would caro to go on record as having supported such-'a. cynical affront to the public. These considerations, however, must not be allowed to lead members into forgetting to hold the Prime Minister/to his promise to arrange a discussion upon the questions that may be dealt with at the Conference. We are beginning to think that, the best interests of the Empiro demand that the Parliaments should take a hand in the inter-Imperial matters that have hitherto been left, through a_ singular forgetfulness of democratic principles, to arrangement by the Governments. A private and unfettered Conference may be a very good method of settling party differences I .on issues that have been the subject of keen and continuous controversy inside and outside Parliament, but when the business is the business of a vast Empire, and the business, not' of parties, but of a number of allied nations, those nations, through their Parliaments, should bo admitted to the settlement of the questions in issue. We know that it will be urged that tlio decisions of the Conference cannot be translated into action without ratification by the Parliaments of the nations concerned. This is literally true, but it is not a fair statement of the case, since it omits the further and very important truth that, in many cases ratification cannot be avoided. For example, we hold most strongly that the offer of a Dreadnought to Britain was unwise and unjustified, but the offer having been made we should - have opposed just as strongly'any attempt to have it cancelled. It would bo absurd to expect any great results from a debate this session upon the possibilities of next year's Conference: most members would give us nothing but useless platitudes about the Empire. Still, it would be an excellent thing to make a beginning. We need hardly say that if the Prime Minister is enabled to break the spirit of his promise, and to deal with the._ whole question in a great hurry in, the closing hours of the session, a heavy responsibility will lie upon those members who wish the subject to be dealt with decently and in ■ order. Every day that passes without any reminder being given to tho Prime Minister of his duty in this matter is a point registered against the public spirit of every member of tho House.