THE DOMINION AND THE COMMONWEALTH

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2355, 11 January 1915, Page 4

THE DOMINION AND THE COMMONWEALTH

References to party politics were of course avoided by the speakers at the civio reception tendered to the Prime Minister of Australia (Mr, Andrew Fishek) on Friday evening, but some of the great problems of Imperial consolidation were touched upon in an interesting manner. No attempt was made to propound or discuss detailed schemes .for closer | co-operation between Australia and New Zealand,_ or between '■ the selfgoverning British communities as a whole. Such a gathering was not the place for the consideration of such details. The speeches, however, gave clear expression to that tendency on the part of the Mother Country and the Overseas Dominions to draw nearer to one another to which tho present crisis has given an unmistakable impetus. The bonds of race, sentiment, and mutual interest which at present hold the Empire together are wonderfully strong. Indeed, their strength has confounded our enemies and astonished the world. But there is a growing feeling that the time is coming for the serious consideration of the task of placing the relations between the great family of- nations of which the British Empire consists on a still firmer and more rational and effective basis. In the near future efforts will no doubt be' made to bring about closer co-opera-tion between the Governments of New Zealand and Australia. - The Commonwealth is our nearest selfgoverning neighbour, and it is natural and reasonable that the two States should act in concert whenever it is possible to do so to their • mutual advantage. Such visits as that which the Australian Prime Minister is now paying to New Zealand cannot fail to strengthen this desirable object. Knowledge gained by actual personal experience is always deeper and surer than information acquired by any other means. For this reason it would be a very good thing if a more frequent interchange of visits by public men in various parts of the' Empire could be arranged.

Me. Massey voiced; the general opinion throughout New;' Zealand wpen he expressed the hopo that Me. Fisher's, mission would be successful both from the point of view of health and also from the point of view of bringing about closer relations between this and Australia. The question of improving the organisation of the Empire for defence purposes could hardly fail to occupy a prominent place : in the minds of the speakers, for the manifest duty of standing together has been emphasised with insistent force by recent events. As Me. Fisher remarked, the fate and fortunes of' Australia and New Zealand are irrevocably linked together by reason of their geographical position. Recognising .this fact, it will be the business of 'our statesmen to devise means of co-operation with the object of securing as far as possible the advantages of economy and efficiency which joint action so often affords. Of course New Zealand would never consent to any lino of action which might endanger her power of fully controlling her own destinies. This was clearly recognised by Mr. Fisher, who repudiated any thought that this Dominion should impair any oj. its sovereign rights and privileges in the interests of the Commonwealth; but, he said, "if to our common advantage we can reach common aims and achieve common purposes, without impairing our individual autonomy, and while at the same time strengthening the powers of the sister Dominions _ of Canada and possibly South Africa, we shall be doing a service to ourselves and the great Empire of which we form a part'.'' The' conditions and safeguards laid down by Mr. Fisher should satisfy tho most exacting requirements of _ autonomy, and any proposals for joint action within the limits thus prescribed will deserve, and arc svre to receive, careful attention on both sides of tho Tasman Sea. But Australia and New Zealand have to consider the wolfaro ,of the Empire as well as their own particular interests, and after the war is over ondeavours will probably bo rnado to improvo the organisation of tho wholo Empire as regards defence and commerce. There can be no doubt that tho war is welding tho British communities together more firmly than evor before, and it will probably result in a real advance in that direction of tho realisation of tho growing desiro for closer relations to which expression was given on Friday night by the Primr. Minihtkhb «f Now Zealand and Australia.