SIR JOSEPH WARD INTERVIEWED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1034, 24 August 1911, Page 4

SIR JOSEPH WARD INTERVIEWED.

Sir Joseph Ward, interviewed at Sydney, stated that the recent Impel ial Conference completes the tenth conference he has attended, and he agreed with Mr Asquith that the result of the last Conference, both in quantity and general benefit to the Empire, were of a most solid and enduring kind, first as regards matters touching the internal relations of the Empire, and, second, as regards matters touching international relations. Chief among the former is the undertaking of the Imperial authorities that hereafter no international agreement will be entered into which affects the oversea Dominions without a conference or consultation with the Dominions affected. This will obviate a good deal of the heartburning of the past, occasioned by the Imperial Government completing an agreement vitally affecting the oversea Dominions without reference to these Dominions. The prevailing practice on the part of the Home Government now is to strictly limit all its international treaties to the United Kingdom, unless the oversea Dominions desire inclusion, and this undertaking on the part of the British Government to obtain a release from existing commercial treaties of any of the Dominions desiring freedom is a concession to the autonomy of all the selfgoverning countries of the Empire. During the proposed creation of a final Imperial Court of Appeal, Mr Asquith admitted the Dominions had well-founded reasons for complaint. 11 The Imperial Government has now undertaken, at the instance of the resolutions submitted by me, to alter the constitution and procedure of the existing Court of Appeal for the oversea Empire, making two divisions, One will hear appeals from the United Kingdom, and the other from the oversea Dominions. The Privy Council is to be strengthened by the addition ot two of the ablest English Judges, and the procedure is to be assimilated to that of the House of Lords. Another long stride towards Imperial unity was the agreement arrived at unanimously in respect to Imperial naturalisations. In the past the most striking anomalies have existed. Those naturalised in New Zealand or in Canada, for instance, while British subjects within these Dominions were aliens within any other part of the Empire. The utmost diversity prevails between the two Dominions.” Passing to what was admittedly the most important subject brought before the Conference, his motion in favour of a representative Imperial Council, it is significant of the extent to which the people of the United Kingdom desire closer Imperial unity, that over 300 members of the House of Commons, representative not of one party, but of all parties, memoralised Mr Asquith to promote the closer association ot the oversea Dominions with the Imperial Government in the control of great Imperial interests, particularly defence, and to do this by means of a Council really representative of all parts ot the Empire. ‘‘This memorial was consequent upon the resolution tabled by myself for discussion at the Conference, and I am entitled to quote this answer to those who suggest that the introduction to the subject was somewhst gratutious and without widespread and fervent support of the people of the Motherland. In submitting the motion I never contemplated the possibility of its being agreed to as an organised system. It only sought the affirmation of the principle, and, as a matter of fact, the principle underlying the motion was affirmed. Mr Asquith declared on the part of the British Government that it was in the fullest sympathy with any practical means of bringing the oversea Dominions into closer union with the Motherland, and the sentiment was repeated by various oversea representatives, notably ex-General Botha. The subsequent discussion upon Imperial defence, which, owing to the necessity tor secrecy I cannot disclose, satisfies me beyond doubt that effective Imperial co-operation for the defence of the Empire cannot be secured without the adoption in some shape of the principle of Imperial unity I advocated. It is generally recognised that, while there may be several navies within the Empire, there cannot, for the effective purposes of Imperial defence, be more than one Imperial naval defence policy. Recognising that the best results cm only be achieved by one policy of one great Empire navy, I have always

advocated as New Zealand’s contribution to the Navy a money grant, on the condition that the ocean highways should be fully safeguarded, as well as the shores of the different Dominions. The decision of the Imperial Conference to appoint an Empire Commission, with representatives on it from the Motherland and the oversea Dominions, is a very valuable and important one. Such a Commission, if men of wide experience and knowledge are appointed, must be able to obtain evidence that will enable all concerned to improve the trade relations existing throughout the Empire. Necessarily such a Commission cannot interfere with the fiscal policy of any portion of the Empire, but with ever-increasing efforts to secure trade by competing with foreign countries, it is allimportant that nothing should be left undone by the respective British countries to improve the conditions of the vast and increasing trade between themselves. Summed up, all must agree with Mr Asquith that the results of the recent Conference have been very solid and practical, and that none of these could have been attained rapidly or effectively except by means of the discussion which took place and the decisions arrived at by the Conference in London.”

Sir Joseph Ward’s attention was drawn to the endeavours made by Mr Fisher while in London to have the British possessions in the Pacific placed under Australian control. He said he would make no statement, preferring to preserve a neutral attitude. When--20 days out from Marseilles he received a wireless message as to a rumour re the handing over of Tahiti to Germany in connection with the Morocco trouble, and he wired to Mr Harcourt emphatically protesting, contending that it would be against the best interests of the British community in the Pacific. He was glad to hear that it was not true.

Sir Joseph Ward arrived in Wellington to-morrow

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