IMPERIAL AFFAIRS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1140, 30 May 1911, Page 5

IMPERIAL AFFAIRS.

NEW ERA OPENED.

FOREIGN POLICY REVEALED FOR FIRST TIME.

PRIME MINISTERS IMPRESSED,

By Teleeraph—Press Acsociation-Oonyrieht

(Rec. May 29, 9.35 p.m.)

London, May 2D.

General Botha, Prime Minister or South Africa, on being interviewed, stated that ho was profoundly impressed with tho confidence shown by tho Imperial Government in freely revealing its foreign policy for the first time.

"We now realise," said the General, "what are the questions occupying tho attention of the Home Government, and the extent to which they influence the Dominions. The Conference lias- commenced under the happiest auspices, and in the manner best calculated to cement tho bonds of Empire." Mr. Fisher, Prime Minister of Australia, in an interview, said the Government of tho United Kingdom was to be congratulate on the way it had taken tho Dominions' representatives into its conn, dence. The step marked a new era in tho development of the Empire. Once taken, this step could not be retraced. COLONIAL OFFICE BANQUET. A BRILLIANT GATHERING. (Bee. May 29, 9.30 p.m.) London, May 29. The Prime Ministers of the Dominions and other Australian and New Zealand visitors, the High Commissioners for Australia, • Canada, and New Zealand,, and the Agents-General attended tho King's Birthday banquet, given by tho Secretary of State, Mr. Lewis H-ircourt, at tho Colonial Office. The party were afterwards present at Lady Granard's reception at Forbes House, which presented a brilliant scene. The gathering included Ambassadors, Cabinet Ministers, and members the House of Commons. DEFENCE AND FINANCE. COMMENT BY THE "ECONOMIST." London, May 28. The newspaper "Economist" says the project of an Imperial Defence fund, controlled by Imperial representatives, is dissolving in the light of facts and criticisms. Sir Wilfrid Laurier refuses to allow Canada to be drawn into the vortex of European militarism. Admiral Sir Reginald Henderson's report is causing trouble in Australia, while South Africa is glad to receive a dole of a million a year for the support of a British garrison. "Tho tendency of tho large colonies is," says tho "Economist," "to regard tho protection afforded by the British Navy with complacency. The Dominions will allow Britain to pile on the armaments as she pleases, while taking care that any small colonial contributions shall be spent locally." NEW ZEALAND'S PATRIOTISM. DR. FINDLAY'S VIEWS. London, May 28. Dr. Findlay, Attorney-General of New Zealand, speaking at Whitfield's Tabernacle, said that New Zealanders were ready to a 1 man to make sacrifices for the Empire. The growing sense of l Imperialism was even keener in New Zealand than in Britain. New Zealanders were prepared- to work to this end, looking forward to tho day when some great statesman would take tho elements of federation and mould them into something liko an organic whole. What was happening at the Premiers' Conference showed that New Zealand was anxious .to niako sacrifices for closer union. THE DOMINIONS' EXPERIMENTS. SPEECH BY MR. FISHER. London, May 28. At the Eighty Club luncheon, Mr. Fisher, Prime Minister of Australia, said tho more Australia was allowed to manago its own affairs in every department of government and life the more attached did its people become to the Mother Country and the British Crown. It was freedom that mado for safety. Referring to Mr. Lloyd-George's reference to the Dominions' social legislation, ho declared that Australians had not ended their experiments; if some of them could help it, they were only beginning, because they regarded economic ideals as being quite as sacred as political liberty. Britain's system of overseas government would not end with the present Dominions. Foreign statesmen were deeplj interested therein, and one had recently declared that he looked forward to tho British system encircling other nations who desired the federation of the peoples of the world. This would he something to bo proud of. General Louis Botha, Prime Minister of South Africa, speaking in Dutch, said he regretted that Sir Henry CampbellBannerman had not lived to see tho fruits of his South African policy.