AN IMPERIAL NOTE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2685, 3 February 1916, Page 5

AN IMPERIAL NOTE

AT RECEPTION TO NEW FEDERAL HIGH COMMISSIONER, " By Telegraph—Press Assoclatlon-Ca Jiyrljhi (Rec. February 2, 8.5 p.m.) London, February 1. The Empiro Parliamentary Association. entertained Mr. Andrew Fisher (High Commissioner for Australia) at luncheon at the House of Commons. Mr. A. J. Balfour, First Lord of tho Admiralty, presided, and Sir Thomas Mackenzie, High Commissioner for New Zealand, was amongst those present. A strong Imperial note .characterised the speeches. Mr. Balfour said that previously it had always been a matter for speculation whether the Empire, apparently bo loosely knit together, was really capable of standing tho stress and strain of a great crisis. There was no conclusive proof before. The South African campaign revealed happy auguries, but the tost of a great crisis had not come, and it was still open to the. cynical prophet to say that all illusions of the unity of tho British Empire were merely, amiable and agreeable talk appealing to respectable sentiment, but more suited to fair weather than rough. He had said that until recently there had existed grave doubt regarding the position of the Overseas Dominions prior to tho war. That doubt had been mudh more in evidence in this country than in the Dominions. - One of, the reasons why it existed hero was the lack of knowledge of their own Dominions, and the remedy lay in seeing more and more, of our great oversea possessions, and meeting tho people there. He knew of no other way by which the safety and unity of the Empire could be maintained.