THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 25 April 1907, Page 3

THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

INTERVIEW WITH Mfi DEAKIX. COLONIES TIKED OF COLONIAL, OFFICE. ' , ~ London, April 2.1 Mr Deakin, interviewed, said Die Colonial Offiee was sometimes obstructive, almost hostile, and almost alwurs unsympathetic. The Premiers actin" with him wanted the business of tnc autonomous colonies handled bv dille;ent men andditL-rent methods from the Crown Colonies. They aimed at the creation of a new small department which, while in a certain sense some part of the British public service, would yet be separated from all other ollices, and if possible from particular Hi'iiUa Interests. Its functions should be to deal with all-important questions peculiar to the autonomous colonics if k worked under the British Prime Minister it was unlikely that he would have much time to bo meddlesome, and n was pretty certain that he would accord sympathetic treatment, because hewould represent, besides the United Kingdom, all his feuvjw-Preiniers tlonging to the Confei^nce.

! r ., t n saili Premiers would contribute to the cost of the department of highly corojMwnt experts upon ? PjP" , . 1011 or any other basis but Lord Elgin and Mr Winston Churchin opposed this. Tha premiers wanted men who had lived in Australia or Had sufficient acquaintance with tue outlying dominions to be able to act wiili knowledge of tlieir warns. The British Government, after consideration, declined the proposal, declar- I ing that it must be left to its own Colonial Department.

Mr Deakin shargly retorted: "We want a joint department to do our won: as well as yours/' Lord Elgin's assur ance respecting the wnstitution of th - propsed Secretariat were, he said, most -rague and unsatisfactory. Probably a remodelled Colonial Office would soon fall into the old groove.

Mr Deakin continue that the position of Covernors as a channel of communication remains unaltered. Lord Elgin's suggestions that the Premiers mast not ignore the value of Governors as a means of communication was received in silence.

The Premiers entertain great hnpes of securing all they want at next Conference, as they anticipate that the present expedient will break down. Tile Premiers were willing to try the expedient since failure will deprive the Colonial Office of its main ground of objections to the proposed change. Lord Elgin even greatly resented the presidency of the Prime Minister as a blow to the Colonial Office, which opposed anything in the nature of a Secretariat and intended to minimise its importance.

Mr Deakin attaches importance to securing a recognition of the principle of one vote one Government, also a recpgnition of the Banality of Governments. -

Answering Mr Eeid's criticisms, Mr Deakin saya:—"My orginal proposal was carried, excepting that the Secretariat wag left under the Colonial Office instead of the self-governing colonies, all, their business, and the Conference being placed under the Prime Minister The difference between Sir Wilfrid Laurier and myself is that he wished the Conference to be under the supervision of the Colonial Office. I think we need no supervision' In tha't sense by toy British Department. We ought to be responsible only to the head of the British Government, who should be the only responsible Minister to deal with as.

DELIBERATIONS RESUMED. - DEFENCE OF TiflE EMPIRE. A PRINCIPLE ADOPTED. London, April 23. The Imperial Conference resumed.

Mr Hatdane moved that the Conference, without wishing to commit, the Governments represented to immediate action, recognised the need of developing throughout the Empire the conception of a General Staff recruited from the Empire forces becoming a means of fostering the study of military science, -of collecting and disseminating military information, undertaking the preparation of a scheme of defence on a common principle without in the least in terfering with questions of command and administration, such stair being capable of advising the various Governments regarding the direction of war and military organisation throughout the Empire. The resolution was carried.

A COMPREHENSIVE SCHEME. Received 24th, 9.30 p.m. London, April 24. -Mr K. B. Haldane, addressing the - Conference, urged the desirability of the organisation of the military forces of the Empire upon a broad, not rigid, pa ttern for common purposes. He suggested that a newly-created General Staff should be given an Imperial r-Mracter, and be a*t the disposition of all lcc.il governments or commanders, chiefly for furnishing advice and supplying intelligence of an expert description. He did not desire that such a Staff should or in any slightest degree suggest that the autonomous colonies must accept any direction from Home In military ma!tters, but trained advice would be at their disposal. Mr Haldane furnished the Conference with pipers dealing with strategical conditions of the Empire from a military standpoint, emphasising three great principles:—First, the obli gation of the self-governing colonies to provide their own local security; secondly, the duty of arranging for mutual assistance in tl>e case of supreme common need; thirdly, ths necessity of maintaining our sea supremacy. Britain was organising a territorial army for Home defence, also an expeditionary striking force, naval and military, designed to assist any part of tlie EmL plre. He emphasised ihe importance of the war organisation throughout the Empire, and the adoption of a uniform svsteni of nomenclature. The value of colonial help to the Motherland would be much increased if their system readily fits into the war organisation of the Imperial Army in the field, and a highly-skilled Genera] Staff alone would supply a common conception of the essentials. Small arms and ammunition should be of the same pattern, also adequate reserves should be prepared in times of peace. It was desirable that the autonomous colonies obtain their ordnance stores through the War Office.

IMPERIAL RESERVE OF OFFICERS. SUGGESTED INTiCSCHANGE OF STAFFS. APPROVED BY THE CONIEKEXCK SCHEME WARMLY WELCOMED. Reeeived 24tli, 9.5-1 p.m. London, April 24. The training of officers, continued Mr Haldane, was very important. Britain was trying to create a reserve of officers, and if such a reserve were made Imperial, it would be a great addition to the security of the Empire. 'J lie British General Stall would cordially interchange with the colonial staffs, thus creating an Imperial school of military thought, imbued with the same traditions and accustomed to the same strategical problems. Replying ( 0 Mr Borden, Canadian Minister of Defence, Mr Haldane said the General Stuff would irot be an independent authority exercising control throughout the Empire, but a training school which would lend expert' to local General Staffs, and receive assist anc" from colonial General Staffs. He hoped the colonic* would send experts to confer with the General Staff in order to * immediately begin executing the broad principle which his resolution affirmed. Mr Borden viewed the scheme fcivorand Mr Deakin complimented Mr rjTaidane on bis luminous exposition, 110 strongly urged the publishing of the I (speech, and entirely recognised Mr Haldane's desire wax not to infrinpthe powers of the colonial Governmentanil Legislatures. The General Staff only meant an offer of expert mature advice. He believe,! any proposal to extend Hie operation.- of the General Staff which permitted the colonies to participate would he heartily welcomed. Australia- fully accepted the principle of for.-. •

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and approved the principle uf iutcr- ! change of units, but doubted it- prt-u-I Usability for Australia owing to tile great distance and the smallnes* of tiie permanent force. Australia desired :in extended interchange of oflicers, espeallv of a higher standing than those hitherto sent. Mr. Deakin s;iid that the relative rank of oflicers in the outer and inner parts of the Empire required consideration. Australia envies Canada's progress in military schools, and Australia felt the weakness oi her system of oilicer.-, ou in;; to local condition-. ]( would be v.-:v dillieult lo maintain nil!ici-.-nt regulars to supply entrants io loenl military c.»I - i leges. Mr. Deakin noticed that iwperts advised the Colonial (lovcrnnients to ar range for the local manufacture of war material stores rather than rely ou the j Tniled Kingdom's resources. He hop-'": the Admiralty would entourage the Colonial ammunition factories by usinir their products. Australia had been driven to purchase supplies from private sources because she was unable to robon the War (Mice. lie thought the Colonies ought to be able to rely ou securing fultiinient of a reasonable proportion of their orders.

NEW ZEALAND'S ATTITUDE. Received 24th, 10.57 p.m. London, April 24. Sir .Iweph Ward supported the voluntary co-operation of Colonial Governments and the General Stall', and thought it possible to secure a stronger and better system of general Imperial defence. The high ideal was to try and assimilate the war organisation, and agree to obtain war stores and ammunition generally through tlie War Ollice, if it were understood the Colonies had the right to make ammunition, if able. lie. recognised the importance of using the

same kind of arms and ammunition. He believed New Zealand would arrange an interchange of units and oflicers, and if a volunteer company came to England for tiie purposes of interchange, the New Zealand Government would probably be willing to pay a reasonable sum. New Zealand was always willing that the volunteers should assist the Motherland in the event of trouble arising. Both in men and money New Zealand was readyto do its share of defence in any part of the world, but wanted to keep clear of the possibility of being drawn into Continental troubles. ''We want a dis

tinet line of demarcation," he said, "TieI tween the responsibility we accept of our free will, and the responsibility that mny be placed upon us without our having the opportunity ■of conference or discussion. Thousands were ready to volunteer to fight oversea.

Mr. Botha said he thought lite position in the Transvaal would be hazardous it the Imperial troops were withdrawn. Lord Tweedmouth explained the general principles influencing the Admiralty in the defence of the Empire, especially insisting on the necessity for unity of control of the fleet.