IMPERIALISM.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1960, 17 December 1906, Page 2

IMPERIALISM.

IMPORTANT SPEECH BY LORD MILNER. MOTHERLAND AND COLONIES.

PRESS ASSOCIATION-COPYRIGHT Received 5.13 p.m., December 16. London, Dec 15. Lord Milner, speaking at Manchester, said he feared premature responsible government for the Transvaal would result in an economic oatastrophe whioh a braud new legislature would bo expected to deal witb. The agreeable consciousness that the policy was liable to Imperial veto was the only hope in the dosporatonoss of the situation. Sober Transvaal politicians personally believed consolidation of tbo Empiro to be the highest of ell political objects. Btitain. would be unable to remain a world Power if sbo stood alone. It was wrong to treat the colonies the samo as a friendly foreign nation. It would be better to use the growiog desire for Imperial unity to onuotsraot the formidable forces of disintegration. He

would never forgive himself for negleoting to suggest that the oolonies who cooperated ought to have been consulted in the settlement of South Afrioa during a period of tutelage. Ho hoped that SirH, Campbell-Bannerman would preside at the Imperial Con'oreaoe. Only Britain’s reluctance to participate had prevented the reciprocal preferential treatment, which was rapidly pormeating the Em pire. The most uofonunato part cf Britain’s unsympnthetic attitude wrs that it conveyed sn impression that thoUoitoJ Kingdom was also averso to any idea of preferential trade between different parts of '.bo Empire. Mere discouragement might not deter lha colonies from continuing preference to British goods, but if the roonies were told, "Go your way—wo never dream of olosor relations with you than with others,” tbo probable rosult would be to kill a good deal more than preferential trade. o:hcr nations would gladly accept tho rooiprooal advantages wh ch Britain r* j-rcted. The Empire might rosist oven that strain for a time, but it would bo a fatal blunder to try, It would bo an immense s!ep if regular consultations were established betweon the oolonies and the Motherland, with a permanent oonsultativo committee whpn tho oqnferenee was not sitting,