THE EMPIRE IN THE TWENT. IETH CENTURY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2160, 16 August 1907, Page 1

THE EMPIRE IN THE TWENT. IETH CENTURY.

LECTURE BY A CANADIAN PROFESSOR. WIDENING THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, August 14. Before a largo audience in the Town Hall this evening. Professor Leacock, Ph.D., of Canada, lectured on the subject of '‘The Empire in the Twentieth Century.” The professor proved to ho a fluent and forcible speaker, and his lecture was a masterly exposition of the past and the present Imperial position. The chair was taken by His Worship the Mayor. His Excellency the Governor, the Minister for Education (Hon. Geo. Fowlds) and Mr. Paul, M.L.C., also occupied seats on the platform. Dr. Leacock, who speaks without

notes, and remembers even the quotations lie uses, began his lecture with a rapid survey of the present position of the Empire, w-itli its want of cohesion and its 50 different Governments so various and complex in their forms as almost to defy an accurate classification —a complex whole, composed, in regard to the outer Empire, of units that were destined one day to rival the present great empires of Europe. (Applause.) With this view

before us, ho urged the necessity tlioro is for training not merely parochial politicians bin! statesmen who would make the people realise that they were not merely colonists but heirs to a greater Enipiro Lilian lay within the boundaries of their own spheres of action. After ■a rapid survey of the old disunited American colonies and the revolution that led to their disruption, ho spoke of the rebellion in Canada in 183/. After that rebellion bail been quelled the British did a characteristic tiling —'they sent out a High Coiiiniiissioner to find out wiliat it was all about (laughter), and the result was Lord Durham’s ablo report, which said the rebellion was justifiable. That report, ho said, was an important factor in the subsequent development of tlie r Empire. Dr. Leacock then traced ' the history of the spirit of “Little Englandism” which obtained in the ! early days of the colonies, a matter in which lie held the colonies themselves were not altogether blameless, and then proceeded to outline the period from 1880 till tho present time —.a period that might bo described • as a period of renewed European expansion. He described in terse and graphic languago how the other Rowers had reached out for empire, and how Great Britain was not one whit beyond tho rest. The time had arrived, ho said, when the waste spaces of the earth should be filled —a time in which it wins the duty of the greater nations to step into the dark places of the world in the general interests of civilisation (applause). Then lie proceeded to examine the present status of tho Empire and the various things that were likely to hinder the success of our joint future. In trade relations, for instance, the different parts of the Empire were almost completely separated, while in our relations with the outer world we had no single system and neither had we any united system of defence. AYe bad been supreme in the matter of Nival power for a hundred years, but the two-Rower navy system was becoming more and more difficult ' for Great Britain to maintain. Tho Germans were looking forward to a time when their navy would equal if not be superior to that of Great Britain, while tho United States, which had lately changed the whole scope of its foreign policy and was now moving eastward and westward as a great world Rower, was laying down battleship for battleship and cruiser for cruiser with Britain—nav, more than this, for while Britain was spending to her limit the United States was only beginning to dip into its unappropriated reserves. Therefore,' the twoPower standard for us would be jeopardised unless some new source of strength and utility could he brought Forth in aid. Failing this our supremacy in the Councils of Europe would pass away’ and we would become subordinate to another Rower. Passing reference was made to the small contribution of tho outer Empire to the navy. Canada, to her shame, was not contributing one penny". The

single navy idea, the separate navy idea, and the do-nothing idea of Canada, were passed under review. The Premiers’ Conference was referred to in hopeful terms. At the same time the lecturer was alive to the shortcomings of the Imperial Conference, which, he pointed out, was based oil a wrong principle, in that it was representative only of parity government—it was not the single and united voice of the people, hut only it lie voice o-f a section of the people that was represented-—in short lie held that the conference was not upon a wide chough basis to have proved an effective form of Imperial control. He held that not only" tho existing Government of every colony but also the existing Opposition in every colony and in the Mother Country should obtain jn the Conference an adequate representation—a declaration that was lomlly" and heartily applauded. He said this was in no sense derogatory to the representatives at the last Imperial Conference, who had done such excellent work. In conclusion ho urged one and all to work for the common good of the Empire. If we did this and each of us shared in responsibilities of common citizenship, wo would hand down a permanent and indivisible Empire. Dr Leacock, who for nearly an hour and a half riveted the attention of his audience, resumed Inis seat amidst a burst of hearty and prolonged applause, which was renewed when Ill's Excellency tho Governor proposed a vote of thanks