Colonial Institute

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 93, 29 January 1891, Page 2

Colonial Institute

• - LOED CAEEINGTON'S SPEECHES. SUGGESTED EEFOEMS. LPSII UNITED PUESS ASSOCIATIOIf..r London, January 27. There was a large attendance at the Colonial Institute to-day to hear Lord Carringfcon read his paper on Australia. Among those present were the Prince of Wales (who presided), Lord Granville, and Lord Knutsford. Lord. Carrington said Imperial Federation was a beautiful and suggestive proposal, but there were many difficulties in its way. It would be better to draw the colonies to England with cords of lpve, leaving them to their own ways. The old system of interference in internal affairs should cease. The spirit of .nationalism was strongly increasing, and the movement was influenced by the pressure from without, by the policy of Great Britain, and by the varying independent action of the colonies. The Chinese and New Guinea questions were specially mentioned. He expressed the ■hope that Sir H. Parkes would preside at the coming Federal Convention. His courage, eloquence, and statesmanship showed he was a man born to share the destinies of a growing country. Nationalism need not impair the loyalty of the colonies. Once Australian Federation was completed England would have an easy task to influence the national feeling in her favour. Colonials know that England would regard an invasion of Australia as she would the landing of a foreign army in Kent, and England would aid Australia even if Canada objected. England would not ask for the consent of Australia before sending cruisers flying the white ensign to the Bay of Fundy or Behring Sea. To enable colonists to feel that they belonged to the British community, Colonial Judges ought to be appointed on the Judical Committee of the Privy Council; Chief Justices ought to receive life peerages ; the title of " honourable" ought to be recognised everywhere, and due precedence alloted to Governors, Bishop?, and Judges ; statesmen should be Privy Councillors; and the Order of St Michael and St George ought not to become a foreign legion with a colonial division. Headvised reciprocity between the English and the Colonial Bar, and an extension of facilities for the investment of trust Funds. He said the debt of New South Wales was small compared with the vast wealth of that colony. Many private railway companies in England have less mileage than New South Wales, with larger capital and a greater amount of indebtedness, than Australia. He mentioned the Soudan contingent and the assistance rendered to the dockers as instances of the impulsive interference of the colonists with the struggle of the Empire. January 28 The press is unanimous in prai c of Lord Carrington's paper.