Record Reign Celebrations.

Feilding Star, Volume XIX, Issue 2, 2 July 1897, Page 2

Record Reign Celebrations.

(Per Press Association.) London, June 30. Premiers Laurier, Reid, Nelson, Kingston, Whiteway, and Sprigs received a splendid reception at Oxford, when the honourary degreo of Doctorsbip of Law was conferred on them. H. Goudy, Regius I J rof«ssor, warmly eulogised them in Latin. July 1. The conference between the Premiers and leading officials of the Colonial Office was resumed to-day. The question of annexation of New Hebrides by Britain was discussed. It was pointed out by the Colonial Office that there was no chanoe of the existing convention between France being altered by this convention. Both England and France are absolutely pledged not to annex the islands. All the railway companies have granted free passes to the Premiers over their lines. The oolonial fleet visited the Portmonth dookyard yesterday and inspected the fleet. Mr Gosehen and Mr Ellison Macartney Secretary to the Admiralty, received them on board the warships. The colonials were heartily cheered. Mr Chamberlain gave a dinner in honor of the colonial Premiers and their wives. Among the gaesti were the Duke and Duchess of York, the Marquis and Marchioness Landsdown, Marquis and Marchioness of Londonderry, Lord Salisbury, Marquis and Machioness of Ripon, Earl and Countess of Selborne, Lord and Lady Knntsford, Viscount and Viscountess Wolseley, Lord and Lady Halsburg and Mr Balfour. A reception followed and decorations were of the most lavish character. The music was supplied by a Hungarian band. Earl Onslow gave a garden party. Many well known colonial! were present including several of the Premiers and their wives. In the course of a speech on the relations between Great Britain and the Australian Colonies, Sir Hicks Beach referred to the naval agreement, and Baid the British Government had relieved the colonies of the cost of naval defence by giving them protection against possible enemies ; but the colonies had not been relieved of the duty of coast defence. Britain expended twentytwo millions yearly on her navy, while the colonies, with a population of ten millions, only paid a few thousands as their share. It was impossible this arrangement could remain as a permanent settlement. The Pan-Anglican conference opened at Lambeth Palace. Services of a devotional character were held by the Bisbons.