The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1911. THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1058, 22 February 1911, Page 4

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1911. THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Before the fight upon the Parliament Bill drives the Imperial Conferenco out of the front seat in the British press, there is one aspect of the_ controversy of the past few days T .vhich has a special interest for New Zealanders; We refer, of course, to Sir Joseph Ward's proposal that an Imperial Council should bo established. In these days, when advertisement has its uses for colonies as well as for individual traders, and when the ambitious politician would rather bo condemned than ignored, it is probably tho duty of New Zealand to rejoice that tho Prime Minister should have included this proposal in his list. Of'courso it is not a new , proposal. On., the contrary, tho very fact tltat tho other Prime Minister's abstained from bringing it up for discussion is proof that it is quite an old enough proposal to have been ruled out, after careful thought, by all the other parties to the Conference. Sir. Joseph Ward need not, however, bo disappointed at tho criticisms which have been turned upon what he thought, doubtless in all sincerity, would bo an excellent idea. And certainly he cannot complain of tho tone of thoso criticisms, since they aro as kindly and as polite as anyone could wish. Tho issues'-involved in- the proposal aro such as can only bo apprehended by those who have given some study to tho history of government, and it was therefp/o not to be exnected that Sir Joseph Ward, who lias never had the timo. to mako himself oven slightly acquainted,with history or political philosophy, would realise how impossible a tiling ho was suggesting. To tho Manchester Guardian, seeking for some not altogether abexplanation of a- proposal inexplicable to minds accustomed to prudence,' mental depth and scholarship in Prime/Ministers, it appeared that the proposal was evidenco of "a conscious pridq in nationhood." If this woro tno only existing testi[rnony to New-Zealand's "conscious prido of nationhood" we should dospair of our country, since tho overshadowing■■ fact about tho drafting of the New Zealand.resolutions was tho unwillingness of the Prime Minister to consult tho public or to defend or explain or oven trouble to discuss his proposals. We think wo mav, on behalf of Now Zealand, let it do known , that tho "Imperial Council" idea has no support,in this country. Coming to a'brief discus-, sion.ottho proposal itself, the Guardian- -very ' politely inquires ■Whether tho Prime Minister has not /'slurred over the great -difficulty regarding the ■ equitable distribution of tho Empire's Ttmrdcns," and adds, with caustic gravity: "To'tho extent to which the colonies aspire to partnership in tho direction of Imperial affaire they should logically assume a corresponding degree of military, naval,'and ' financial responsibility,^'j .That is a, majfim that wo the moro'" strongly commend to Sir Joseph Ward's .' attention for that we have on frequent-occasions stated it ourselves in other forms. Tho Daily- Telegraph, , a: newspaper opposed to -the Guardian on almost every question of Homo politics, .pointe out a sort of crainenco that Sir Joseph Ward will'assume at the Conference: ho will "very likely be tho loador of the party of consolidation" at tho Imperial Conference." That this will not bo tbo best sort of eminence, however, is indicated by tho suave, addition , of tho Tcldgraph'. "But,tho party-averse- to experiment in essentials is sure to havo an overwhelming ascendancy." In other j words, Sir. Joseph Ward will find himself practically alone against the others in his experimental proposals. ..Upon reflection, we are sure, Sir Joseph Ward himself will come to our view, and oven, in the end, go our length in feeling encouraged by those evidences that tho advocates of a "patent Empire" will prove of little consequence when' it comes to real business. What is wanted is not an Imperial Council, or oven a standing Advisory Committee, but bettor communications between the various Governments. 'Although the exact burden that 'New Zealand would havo to bear under any scheme of Imporial Federation or of joint Imperial control of Imperial affairs can only bo guessed at, a rough index is possible, ..of .' construction which will show the absurdity of any claim to an appreciable share of control. Tho pcoplo of Britain pay over £l per head for tho Navy alone. On that basis, New Zealand would pay £1,000,000 a year, and would oven then havo an almost negligible interest in tho business. The present arrangomerit of the Empire is quite good enough, although there may be room for improvement in the details of its working.. To those who cannot get over what strikes them as "the anomaly" that tho-Parliament of the United Kingdom should be supremo rather than tho Parliament of' Canada or Australia we can recommend nothing more useful than a little reflection upon tho fact that Kino George, and not some other citizen, is the head of the' British nation. Thcro must bo a centre, a rallying point. And the. existing arrangement of tho-Empire's government is as littlo open to objection on any practical ground as is the Monarchy itself.