The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1913 A GREAT SCHEME.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8, 10 September 1913, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1913 A GREAT SCHEME.

'The Dominion House." Lord Grey' woposal I'm- the concentration of tli Dominion (Governments' offices unde me roof in the centre of London, am c or I he promotion of infer-! injuria trade, is a great ami high-min<le< -(heme. |( is a project which ma; ■easonahly he expected to find fa von liroughoui the Empire with ah trm .on.-, of Britain, That the project h imhiu'on.s is nndouhted, hnt it squally certain that if once enthusiast) ■an ho awakened and some of th< promoter's lino spirit communicated U the people of the Dominions, all difficulties will he swept away ami tin great House will soon arise in the ieart of the'wonderful city. The idea s fascinating in its all-embracing Imperialism, and yet it does not stand For sentiment alone. In an artistic hooklet which comes from London the scheme is fully described. It is claim•d for it that if it has any distinctive ,-alue it is in providing such a token if the Empire in a position where its effect will ho as dominating as it is extensive. London, we are reminded.

3 not only a capita! city of eight milions, bxii "the centre of consciousness or the whole Brittanic system." '1 ho )ominion House contemplated is to ic a living part of the Imperial organ-

sin, "one of the great realities of ho Constitution—as quickening lo ■very thoughtful mind as Westminster U)bey, the Houses of Parliament he Courts of Justice. Under its great ower men would know that Dominions emoter than the Pole were disehargng sonic of the great functions of iheir various economy. All those connections of trade, emigration and fin-; Eince, thai unite the Dominions with] the Motherland, would radiate to and. from this impressive force. You could j almost hear the heart .of the Empires beat in antiphony to the muffled roar of the Strand." That, at least isj what the promoter and those other! Imperial-minded men who are shaping the scheme with him, desire and look for. The great Imperial building it is proposed to erect will be on one of the finest site® in London, with a

ground avoa half as large again as tlic site of St. Paul's Cathedral. The present, position is that Lord Grey has .secured a throe years' option upon this site at the cost of £3OOO a year, and the London County Council, owners of the Koil have agreed to granl a ninety-nine years' lease at a renta Graduated up till the fifth year, whei it will reach the permanent rate o £50.000. It is hoped that the ac quisitipn of the freehold may he avail able as an alternative. The optioi

is vested in a syndicate of which LorGrey is chairman, while the other div ectors are Lord Plymouth, Sir Star Jameson, Sir J. Henniker Heaton Mr George McLaren Brown, M George Beetham and Mr Harry I Brittain. These gentlemen are int mately acquainted with the affaire < South Africa, Australia, Canada, an New Zealand, and many of our readei

will remember Mr George Beetham as the one-time member for Mastcrton in the House of Representatives': As the promoters point out the further ' progress of the scheme must of course, be guided by the reception which it enjoys from the people of the. Do minions themselves. In the event of : their approval being secured, altcr--5 native methods*of financial organis--1 ation are suggested. Either the Doh minion Governments might associate themselves in dirct responsibility for the undertaking or it might be left in the hands of an independent corporation, in any event the scheme tc ' have no speculative or profit-monger-ing features. The promoters quite proporly urge that if the conception is to he realised it will bo incumbent upon those who have faith in its oh- • jeets to bring that faith to bear as early a« possible,in'the direction of practical work. That ir> the pbint.

* That' the great scholiie noiv put for '• ward is practicable may be accepted from tlie fact that such men are its ad ' vocates as those whoso names are given above. Here lies the opportunity for New Zealand to give her sistei Dominions yet another lead.