THE EMPIRE'S PARLIAMENT
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE CO\ FERENCE. •; r : / WARM DEBATES PRIOR TO VGIIF l- ._. MENT, London, April 21. " ii f PreC l? f the °»**««ioi« revet Wnr « at Wlrm debate 3 to °k l'la ■ before the quesuon of the iutureeo | ttatntln of the Conference was ,ettl« continuation of the present "Confere-i, under unproved woaous of svste.nisprocedure, larger formation," ..rout, efficiency and Increased dignitv and pr, *jge. It was desirable that occasioi . ally the {secretariat should be instruct.' to make direct inquiues regarding mal ters of foreign policy closely tom-hin the dependencies of the Empire. Thong the occasions might lie extremely i\A yet they might l>e very vital, iir Doc kin thought die Secretariat should pre ferably consist of met ol colonial experi '. ence, and practically ite appointed bthe Conference. There were inaiv reasons why it was desirable that tin Secretariat should he uetached from tm Colonial Office and transferred to tu< , Prime Minister. Sir W. Laurier insisted that the Pec retanat ought to be covered by Minis ; terial responsibility, preferably by th« .Colonial Office. ' ' . a f J - 6- Ward insisted that as a ear dmal principle the Conference shouk nave no power to Interfere with tin -.present rights of the self-govciniuf $ countries. It was desirable that thi s should be placed in a dif " ferent category from Crown colonies. l said he was deilghted with every word of the suggestions, which indicated that the speaners desired to increase the unity and strength of the Empire. It would bo very difficult for ■i turn to agree to the establishment of a ( body with an independent basis. Such • a. proposal might enuanger the autonomy of all. The Colonial Office would do itß best to provide continuity of the Conference. Some reorganisation office •was already under consideration. Lord Elgin intimated that Sir H. jKtfon to the Prime Minister being desig*~ted President of the Conference, but able to agree to a Secretariat belder the Prime Minister's control. Lord Elgin, Sir W. ajAurier, Sir J. G. erd and Mr Botha ravored quinquennial conferences, and Mr Deakin, Dr Jameson, and Mr Moore four years, rilich was adopted. Mr Deakin suggested the desirability @K leaving it open for the Conference to Sometimes appoint a senior Prime Minister to take the chair in the absence of toe President. Lord Elgin aiai Mr Winston jChurchlll thought it preferable for the L ier of the British Government to le. d Elgin stated the Secretariat would be part of the Colonial Mr Deakin referred to the tendency of the Colonial Office to become imbued principles of Government very iureign to, and almost antagonistic to, .the principles on which the self-Govern-ing colonies were conducted. - Sir 3. 0. Ward thought the autono-f nous dominions ought not to be placed 'jsa a. par-with Crown colonies, f Lord Elgin stated that he was prepared to accept Ministerial responsibility for the Secretariat, and would endeavor to separate the departments of {he Colonial Office so that there would l ft distinct, division deAlinfr witlt afm intended to entrust an officer of his irtment with the responsibility for work of the Imperial Conference during (he sittings and in the interval. rt Tha Right Hon, R. B. Haldane, Sec-:—*"-**'»pr War, addressed the Conferperial military organisation, the Premiers expressing 'general concurrence jjHth' the principles enunciated. J-' The Conference resolved to recognise the right of a self-governing colony to consult the Committee on Imperial Defence upon any matter relating to its «wu protection, and be represented durjpg the discussion of that question, in order to explain the iocal position of fhe. grounds on which the Committee's ons affecting the naval i policy. PRESS MEWS. ' Ottawa. April 21. i The Toronto Globe declares that the » nf th« Ti - ' "—* '" of ideas. The Franco-Canadian press are against the creatioL of an Imperial Council, which would change existing ~» London, April 21. " Morning Post declares that tla' OBial Office will be unable to fulfil th« ißecrctariat manned chiefly by nominees of overseas governments is essentia'. The Post deplores Srr W. Laurier's grange defection from the cause of Imperial alliance to that of the Bureaucracy. SIR JOHN LYNE ANNOYED. NEWSPAPER COMMENTS. Received 22nd, 10.13 p.m. London, April 22. During the discussion at the Premiers Conference, Sir John Lyne objected t< the title 'lmperial" applied to the Con fcrence. He also referred to the use il. i:_:i.i;™, nf the f'onference. Join for the component p ire. along the wish of ve... .- ■A great thing to be avoided limitation or even strain up ST fi£ principle of liberty. It adds ave no hesitat>.m in saying tha lorn is greater than free trade, an. expect and believe Protectionists, wl il -er here or in the colonu so freedom is greater t The Daily Chronicle, dis™"""" ♦■ first fruits of the Conferei these resolutions assure pe continuity, while the Prime M.mste asumption of the presidency wii add the status of the Conference, lifting above the level ol merely a departmenti affair. Moreover, subsidiary confe Terences renders such incidents as thoi which arose in connection with Ae Foundland and the New Hebrides m UNSATISFACTORY PRESS REPORT Received 22nd, 10.13 p.m. London, April 22. • The Tribune, Standard, Chronicle, ai Other newspapers protest against t official dailv reports of the transact mi feThere is*strong feeling amonK t *— ! -r» that a full report should be nc ued to members of the Confer.™ daily instalments should also i«> i d to the public, minus such sect ers as those connected with defer, as Lord Elgin might decide to omit. THE "TIMES-' ON THE StTtIATIO: Received 22nd, 11.5 7p.m. London, April 22. The Times says that decisions oi t ';- Conference are good as far as they ! They proyided some machinery, possil of great practical value for the futu t but it was Idle to disguise that til did not realise the fiiii measure of v.l ; they hoped. The designation '•lmper Conference," with the Prime Minister rex officio president, was by far the fi •" est recognition of an equal footing ■ Imperial States had yet been given. "-- beyond the position. Sir He sell-Bannerman took at tbe op was to be hoped at future c es the Prime Minister would - personally throughout, ncvorthc _ Secretariat seems to have l>cen jcted, so far as possible remaining 'tially _ a section of the Colonial ! This was hardly consistent it t'earlier part of the resolution. (-governing colonies were placed quality with the Homo rnm was scarcely logical for llr "II If dealing with their bmin». rt ■*-rdrnated to the Colonbil R his ordi ■~" "' " ths
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Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 23 April 1907, Page 3
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1,090THE EMPIRE'S PARLIAMENT Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 23 April 1907, Page 3
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