FEDERAL PRIME MINISTER RECEIVED' BY THE KING

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2717, 11 March 1916, Page 5

FEDERAL PRIME MINISTER RECEIVED' BY THE KING

DOMINIONS. AND THE EMPIRE MR. HUGHES ATTENDS AN IMPERIAL CABINET MEETING By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright (Rec. March 10, 8.30 p.m.) London, March 9. The King gave an audience to Mr. W. M. Hughes, Federal Prime Minister. Subsequently. Mr. Hughes attendod a Cabinet meeting, Mr. Asquith.introduc-"" ing him to the other Ministers; ' After the deliberations ho attended a Parliamentary luncheon given in his honour. Mr. Bonar Law, Secretary of State for the Colonies, in a speech welcoming Mr. Hughes to Britain, said: "Vvo had many war surprises, and tho enemy's greatest surprise was the additional strength the Dominions gave to the Empire. Australasia and Canada were no more loyal to Britain than Britain was loyal to them. The Dominions realised that the'bafctlo was as much for them as for Britain, involving everything they hold dear, everything making life worth living. ' Any 'Government which did not bring about victory would inevitably be criticised. The people in Britain had the power in their own hands, but in the Dominions it was different. They :poured forth money and sacrificed the lives, of their best men, and yet had neither say nor control of the way in which tho money and lives stiould be spent. Their criticism would he very..different. The most dangerous thing existing is the state of things whereby the Dominions give so much' and have so little control. It cannot be permanent. Things after the war cannot remain the same. The war has shown the Empire to be one in spirit and action, and therefore means should be found to make it one in struoturo for all time. Personally,' lie believed the future would depend on the actipn of the Dominions. Tho Mother Country would welcome almost any scheme they approve, and they would prob- ' ably find a big step as easy as a littlo one." ' Mr. Hughes, replying, reviewed the events of the war, and said: "The Germans saw prospects of rich loot, and were buoyed with hope; They did not want especially tho downfall of Britain, but wanted the commercial and' industrial domination of the earth." Reviewing the hold the Germans had on the trade of the Empire, he said: "We lived in a fool s paradise, which it would be futile to bewail, but it would be criminal not to learn wisdom from that." Regarding the relations of tho Dominion's to the Mother Country, ho ; - hoped to see a policy evolved to make tho word "Empire" mean something more than it did in the past, and if wo can establish for ever a federation .of tho Empire it would ensure the peace of the world. Britain had been expanding her commercial and industrial position at the expense of national-safety,-' imagining thare was no relation between them. Britain's absolute dependence for her very existence turns upon the possession of raw material'for munitions,yet she had bound herself body and soul to the German octopus controlling copper, zinc, and lead. We would be worse than fools if we did not learn a lesson from tho manner in which we had 'been betrayed. Everything must be made subordinate to tho destruction of Germany's control of British trade, and thereby strike a' blow at Germany which would be more important than a ■ decisive land battle. When the war was decided, Germany's opportunities for' world dominion must have gone for ever. Mr. Andrew, Fisher, High Commissionsr for the Commonwealth, supported by Sir Thos. Mackenzie, High Commissioner for New Zealand,.'.proposed-■the health of the chairman.' Mr. Bonar Law announced that during his visit the Government had no secrets from Mr. Hughes. This is regarded as indicating that he was invited to share in the highest councils whenever Dominion, subjects were discussed. MR. HUGHES'S VISIT MOST SIGNIFICANT IMPERIAL EVENT London, March 9. The "Financial Times" says that Mr. Hughes's visit is by far the most important and most significant Imperial event of the year. He will attend the Paris Conference. If tho Conference results in an understanding as.-to a, joint commercial policy, our colonies will be instrumental in creating the most formidable commercial league tho world has-ever seen. SETTLING BRITISH TRADE POLICY IN CONCERT WITH THE DOMINIONS. London, March 9. The "Times," in a leading article, says:—"The moment is at hand for settling our trade policy in_ concert with tho Dominions and our Allies. Mr. Asquith recently referred in very encouraging terms to Mr. Hughes's visit and I the prospects of arriving at a complete understanding with the Dominions.Air. Hughes's mission is not confined to trade policy. On his way to London he had conferred with Sir _ Robert Borden. A joint conference of the Allied Powers will begin at Paris, with the objeot of supplementing and completing the military pact by an economic one. We may bo sure the-French mean business. Britain expects equally decisive and vigorous action from its Government. "There are some things,!' continues tho "Times," "which do not depend on the termination of the war,' but must be taken in hand immediately. First and foremost comes a closer _ union of the Empire." The j Mother Country and _ the _ Dominions aro equally resolved on this; our Allies would rejoice at it and our enemies,,he correspondingly dis- ' turbed. A second object is an economic alliance which woultf - shako our ' enemies' tottering credit; and a third is the development of home' nroduction, making' tho country more self-supporting."-LIKE THE PROVERBIAL RED RAG TO THE BULL. ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) ' . . ' London, Maroh 9; The German Press is angrily denouncing the Allies' Economic Conference. , It is explained that it is impossible for tho Mies to dispense with German trade, instancing dyes, chemicals, drugs, • electro-technical apparatus, and machinery, and ieather goods.