SOME IMPERIAL MATTERS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1014, 2 January 1911, Page 4

SOME IMPERIAL MATTERS.

Thb Pirnra Minister, wc are told to-day in a telegram from Christchurch, has been continuing his advocacy the idea that some New. Zealand journalists should be sent to London for the Coronation and the Imperial Conference. He put it this timo in the 'form of a "hope that newspapers representing both sides of politics in New Zealand would-Bois their way to send two pressmen Home to report the doings of the Conference," and ho added that "the New Zealand Government ia prepared to do its . share by cabling out impartial reports for distribution amongst the newspapers of the Dominion." As to the first of these two points, the Prime Minister may assure himself that tho newspapers will not fail to _ make such arrangements as arc considered suitable. As to the -second point, we should like to see the press as a whole realising that the money of the New Zealand taxpayer should not be used for the dispatch of what tho Prime Minister will consider impartial reports of the doings of tho Conference. Not many people have read, and fewer still have studied with care, the enormous Bluc-Book of tho last Conference, but those who have some knowledge of that volume will see some very strong reasons against tho Prime Minister's proposal, Those parts of tho proceedings which had a special and particular interest for this country were really of no great importance, and certainly not of sufficient importance or. urgency to call for dispatch by cable. Moreover, we may bo quite sure that the really interesting and important transactions would be more likely to be diepatchcd through the ordinary press service than Dy our Government's agent, sin're neither New Zealand nor its Prime Minister would bulk largely in them. There ia realty no need for the suggested expenditure on cablc messages, and, in any cmc, it is a little early,: surely, for tho_ Prime Minister to take it upon himself to say that he will arrange for tho cabling of impartial reports of thc_ doings at a Conference the proceedings at which aro private, and which, in tho past, have been reported only by official summaries. "

Sir Joseph Ward also reforrcd in Christchureh to tho mystery surrounding tho i sivpposcd invitation issued to'members'of Pa'rliament to attend the Coronation., He said that "so far no invitation has been received from- tho HomC i Government for members of Parliament to attend tho Coronation .ceremony, and consequently he was not in a position to say what tho prospects arc for any member of the Now Zealand Houso of Representatives!' visiting England. From private information' which ho had received," ho added, "it appeared possible, hut by no means certain, that an, invitation. will como." It is really time that, the Prime Minister made a clean breast of it, as it were, in connection with this irritating affair. Ho led the whole country to believe that an invitation bad been reoeived for,eight members. Subsequently he made various contradictory state-, ments. The public has never had tljo smallest enthusiasm for the dispatch' ,of..a',, .contingent;.of. M.P.'s, but the puzzling statements by Sir. Joseph M'ard have., awakened .the public's.curiosity,. We do not think anybody, .•would caro to_ wager, six- • ponce against our assertion that tho groat bulk of the people. • would greatly dislike tho dispatch of a number of M.P.'s at the public expense. The departure of a number of members at their own expense is, of course, a matter as to which the public has no feeling one way or the other. But we should all like to know,what .is the explanation of tho mystery—why tho Prime Minister dangled the prospects of a trip Homo before tho House. It ; might in some ways, some small and insignificant ways, bo useful-to ha, ve a number of members visit Britain, but Sir Joseph must really not expect the public to believe that such a visit'is necessary to,- or would assist towards, "a; solution; of the problems' he, mentions; the manning ,-of ships, the intricacies of'company law, judicial representation in appeal cases "and suchlike questions." One statement of tho Prime Minister's we heartily endorse, namely, that it would bo an excellent thing if British Cabinet Ministers could visit the overseas Empire., That, however, is a thing of the future.