IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 87, 15 April 1915, Page 5

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

THE OVERSEAS DOMIMIOMS CONSULTATION AT THE PROPER TIME. United Fresh Association. (Received 8.50 a.m.) The Hon. L. V. Harcourt (Colonial Secretary), in the House of Commons, intimated that he would consult the Dominions fully and personally when the time to discuss peace arrived. THE KINC'S BUSINESS FIRST. —__.- (Received 10.50 a.m.) London, April 14. Mr Harcourt says: "A few days ago Mr Fisher was reported in the press as saying with reference to the Imperial Conference: 'What the British Government consider to he the correct | thing is good enough for my Government,' and in a private letter to me, dated February 15th, he wrote: 'I j cheerfully fall in with the decision not to Hold a conference this year, though I am unable to convince myself that the reasons for postponement are sufficient. However, we have a policy for this trouble that gets over all difficulties. When the King's business does not fit in with our ideas, we do not press them.' This is an admirable example of the spirit in which the Dominions deal with Imperial affairs during the war." Continuing, Mr Harcourt said: "In these communications I referred only to what I carefully called a normal conference, whereby I mean a full conference, with paraphernalia, miscellaneous resolutions, protracted sittings, and shorthand reports, resulting in the issue of blueboks. This sort of conference we thought would not suit under thef present conditions, but in January I telegraphed each Governor-General: 'lnform your Prime Minister that it is the Government's intention to consult him most fully, and if possible personally when the time arrives to discuss the possible terms of peace.' I need hardly add that the Government intends to observe the spirit and letter of this declaration, which I believe will give complete satisfaction to the Governments of the Dominions."

COLONIAL SECRETARY MAKES FURTHER EXPLANATION. ... ATTENDANCE OF SOME MINISTERS IMPOSSIBLE. (Received 9.5 a.m.) London, April 14. Replying to Sir Gilbert Parker, Mr Hareoiirt said that after the outbreak of war the Government assumed it would not suit anyone's convenience to hold a normal conference in 1915, but no communications passed with the Dominions. "Early in December," he said, "I was privately aware thatMr Fisher favored a meeting during, and in spite of, the war, and I telegraphed tins privately to tlie other Prime Ministers. They unanimously agreed that a conference would he difficult if not impossible, and in two cases the attendance of Ministers was impracticable. I then informed Mr Fisher that in view of this practical unanimity, I hoped he would recognise its force. He replied that he did not wish to press the matter further."