MONTREAL BANQUET.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 515, 11 September 1902, Page 2

MONTREAL BANQUET.

REMARKABLE SPEECHES. DISSENSION IN CAN ADA. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright, Ottawa, Sept. 10. At the Montreal banquet Sir Edmund Barton said that the Conference expressly affirmed the principle of a Trade Conference. The autonomous colonies, ho said, will do their best to give substantial preference to British products, trusting that the United Kingdom, as far as possible, will seize such opportunities as arise to give a return. No member of the conference tried to lay down a hard and fast rule, or demaud eye for eye. Sir John Forrest said that Canada and Australia were bound to vastly increase in population, and would demand a voice in the policy of the Empire beyond the seas. If they were unwilling to contribute towards Imperial defence they would bo unable to ask to have a say. So far as Australia was concerned he was not afraid to speak out. Lord Minto, in a speech, said surely if the Motherland was pledged to support the dependencies to the last man, she may fairly claim to have sorno care for tho efficiency of their military organisations. That could nest bo obtained by strict recognition of tho Colonial forces ; territorial armies for tho defence of their possessions garrisoning the parts of the Empire to which they belonged, but should have garrisons upon whose commanders, organisation and efficiency the Imperial Government may justifiably rely in time of war. Lord Minto's declaration is considered likely to provoke a crisis with Sir Wilfrid Laurier, followed by a general election, arraigning the French-Canadians against the English provinces.