IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 11 May 1907, Page 2

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

MOKL UKSOLITIOXS PASSFD. Jti'.CII'KOC'IT'V iU'iSPFCTIXC Al) * MISSIOX OF DAUKISTEPiS. ~',' II London, Hay ». ~' Mr iicakin's and Sir J. C. Ward's ,' resolutions relating to treaty oldiga- ~ lions were carried. |I The Cape's resolution wa- carried :.'- ;} lating to unil'onni.y in Hie gr.uii ing i and 'protection of ti'iule-marks and pa,- li cuts. l .V resolution was carried advocating " greater iiliii'onuily in trade stalis.ies if * Hi" Empire and ill the company liv.s. I Th" Conference recorded, and reseyved for further consideration, Sir .1. (i. , Ward's resolution in favor of reeiir'o ' ciiy in regard to the admission of barliters, and pasSc-d his resolu ion for re- ; cipiocily in regard to the ailniis-ion ol : laud Miivcyors. •■ ; LMl'liilUAH iVS\) KK«)IA'TK)X. London, May !). .Mr IJoyd-lieoi-ge is Hying to block .Mr ne.iki'n's Imperial fund resolution, declaring it a matter for the Treasury only. Mr Asquith (Chancellor of ihe I'ixchequcr) declines io attend the Confer once to discuss the subject. MR DEAKIN AXD Mil LLOV.D----IiEUKIiJ'J. Keceivcil 10th, 11.25 p.m. London, May 10. Mr DenUin expkinctl that the Imperial Fund resolution was tabled as general affirmation, rather than a precise proposal designed to promote the conj sideration of any other methods, whic i | besides preferential trade could lie cmj ployed consistently for the development lof trade and intercommunication. He I said a one per cent duty was more an I indication than a proposal, to serve as !a basis for argument. He quite recog-Ini-evl the dilliculty of bridging several | legislatures and harmony regarding the I deliuite disposal of funds. Even now, Ino co operation was possible without the consent of the legislatures . He desired to discuss the best means of providing a menus whereby the necessity i for Imperial co-operation for pacitic purpo-es could he kept constantly before iiic people and Parliaments, so that, as required, there could be an examination of all promising schemes for promoting the prosperity of the dominion-. ile admitted the proposal originated by Mr J. ilofmeyer, and modified by Sir Sydenham Clarke, who held that the fund i -ought not to be purely for defence. The . proposal suggested a means and motive for co-operation, ami threw the rcsponi sibility on those declining to act m I common. i Mr Lloyd George saiii Mr 'Dcakin's ; proposal dill'ered from Mr Ilofmeyer's - and Sir S. Clarke's, since Imperial dei fence was an essential part of iheir > schemes. Owing to the Motherland's ) large expenditure on the Navy, and t the small colonial contribution, obvious i ly more could be said in favor «f ;v - scheme applying the fund partly to he .; purposes of defence, instead of solely i for purposes of improving inter commit- • ideation. Personally, he thought Hi" i proposal unbusinesslike, unfair, unjust. - and inequitable, lie contrasted Hie s United Kingdom's approximate collirii billion of :'.','■ million pounds, with .\"'j ■ t'.alir.'s IOD.UOO, New' Zealand's -2(1,11(10. I Canada's 100,(100, Newfoundland's 0000, Cape Colunv's 40,000, and X'atal's 2.1.r 000, a totafof 500,000 for all the auton- '. onions colonies. thus •the lined I Kingdom was asked for 7'/ s pounds for ) every one pound paid by all the autou(l onions colonies together. it was also 3 unfair to ask Canada to pay four-fold .as much as Australia. li would he

v- thoroughly unsatisfactory to create til' p. fund first and then consider how ti it spend it. >d air Dcakill interjected that tiicr 1- would be no compulsion upon legishl le turcs, who would be perfectly at liber'.; t- to control their own contribution. I'lr 'J impulse of a common Imperial fum 11-' would be valuable, instead of a hap hazard arrangement between 11 fe\ n . States of the Empire. .Mr Dealcm char ve ucterised Mr Lloyd George's speech as ; H preposterous pretence, and suggestei ,|j the adjournment of the discussion. !■' HEATED DISCUSSION. .'' DKIiATE UXFIXISIIED. Jleccived 11 Hi, 12.-12 a.m. London. May Id. Sir W. Laurier's attitude was hostili to the resolution. He said he. was re luclant to interfere with the Cauadiat tarilf. Whatever schemes they wante< to support, he would do so by specilii '" appropriation. Ho hoped before tin " Conference ended to submit a uefiniti 18 scheme of mail communication. '& Sir Joseph Ward followed Sir Wilfrk ''} Laurier. (Sir Joseph's speech is miss '"ling). Mr Deakin explained his reso '" Union jirovidcd an alternative, whicl 11 possibly Sir .1. G. Ward had overlooked k Mr Moor eoni]ilained that Brit lin ve ■ u fused ]>rcference, but was not prepaivu c with any substitute. Mr Dcakin'fc ;L scheme might not be the best, but the J" Home (iovernment ought at least ti '- explain their intentions. u Dr tlauieson argued thai something '" like, what Mr Deakin suggested must i.c u done, or tlic Conference would be barren b of all practicable commercial results, e Sir K. Bond opposed tile resolution, e Mr Dcakill replied with cnnsUleralde b warmth, lie said Mr l.loyd-Goo.ge u and Mr Churchill dealt only with t.ie 11 ncce-mios of the proposal. Unless the '. Government wa,s prepared to suliniih 1- ]iositive proposals of some kind, they failed to fnliil the anticipations they themselves created. He challenged them to speak out freely, whether they meant to do anvthing or noting. Mr Lloyd George replied that Mr Asiiuith had only undertaken to consider a definite plan' if all approved. The Go--1 veruiueiit did not desire to assume a - purely negative attitude, and therefore • proposed an amendment resolution, "that the Conference recommends, in i order to develop trade, commerce, and , means of communication and transport , within the Kmpire, that it is deirable 1 that some means be devised for systematic consultation between representatives of tile various parts of the Umpire, for Hie purpose of considering co-operative projects for file general purpose of fostering the industrial forces of the Knpire and promote growth and unity. Sir Wilfrid Laurier dissented. Mr Deakin said he attached no importance to any particular resolution, so long as the' Covernmeut proceeded with actual projects. ; Asked if the Secretariat would deal with (his matter. Lord Elgin replied thai it was not lime to decide the future Secreiariat, as the fate of the re-o-lutioii was indeliuito. Tiie piecis states the resolution wis n«i put to the vote, Mr Deakin saying t!i:' linscussion would 1"' resumed on Tuo-diiy. • c u! .Joseph waki) at tlllO conconfluence. 'Hi'' following is .-applied by the Cov eminent: London. Mav i). Speaking at Conference to-dav on the ' motion of Mr. liladstoue's for ' 1 t XIFOHMITY OF XATCILYUSATIOX, ' Sir .1.(1. Ward said so long as legislation ' proposed by the Imperial (lov'erniiient did not take away the right of Xcw Zealand to contract naturalisation, he would not oppose it, but he would not 1 agree to any legislation that would ad- 1 mit of aliens, after five rears residence j in Finland being admitted to New Zoa- , .land without the New Zealand (loveni- [ iiieut having full control. He did not ' wish to relied 011 any liafionalil v or ,'. race, but Xcw Zealand was a ■ ' , WHITE MAX'S COUNTRY, , and be was determined to do all in his 1 power to keep if so. He foresaw that - colored races obtaining naturalisation in Fnglnnd may be admitted in numbers e to Xew Zealand, and this was a most t objectionable feature. He would not, con- t sent, under any circumstances to such a 0 policy, lie said Xew Zealand contained a a population of Europeans and Maoris s. living under the best conditions and cir- n suinslr'iiees possible, and it was essential e for I hem that the children of the Euro- •, [lean- population should be kept free from I eintermarriage with alien races, and from si

LATESr JABLE NEWS UNITED MESS ASSOCIATION IIV ELKCTBIC TEI.EGIiArX —COPYMOJIT. lis contamination of I In- future race. Speaking on the question of the iiiiisll CoVOllimonf CUAItDINC THE I'ACiEiC, !ir .). (!. Ward declared that. New Zraand was under shadow of a grout nimlrv, Ik' United Slates, lluil. did n.d I !y Hie British Hag. Though c.isMopoii .' :\nl, he liiid no objection in llii'in us f i country, but, on Ilk' contrary, fell i" mist friendly disposed to them. Si ill j lie future development of tie. Pacific, i 1 pening of the "l'im:\m:i Canal, mill '. ■he increased Irallic of C:'ii:i(l:i, Australia, mid New Zealand rendered it essential that the Jii-iti::!, (iovcrnincnt should nut relax their efforts to keep point* of '■ vantage in the Paeilie Islands, lie ill- 1 po sessed of a splendid harbor ami wis i ...n-.e:.sed of a splendid harbor, and are now ei ntrolled by another nation. New Zealand had control of a ininiher of the i'acilic Island-., and llritaiu's policy diould lie to ensure 111- acquisition of the reiiuiiid.-r. ile all inatU'ii I'.-.r .■onveiiiii.iis being snhniiilcd to Anstrada mid New Zealand before seitienu'iit jv the Imperial (ioeeininent. IK. , v . ''erred to the New Hebrides, and was ccrtain that if the colonies had been first, eunsiilted, the position would be cuiiel.v different. Sir Joseph Ward's resolution for UNIVERSAL PENNY J'OST was earried after discussion. Ile urged the British Postmaster-! Icncra I to pro grcss on wider lines. It was ridiculous that letters cost twopence, halfpenny across the Channel to France, a distance, of twenty-one miles, while to England and New Zealand either way was a penny. ilr Buxton agreed to the resolution conditionally that Knghiml should not be pressed to the time to bring it into operation. His sympathies were with the proposal. Decent concessions by England amounted to .C1»0,00(), null universal penny post would cause a further reduction of .t IoUOOO. lie referred to the work of the Postal Congress at Home in complimentary terms, ' and hoped Australia would conic into line with the other portions of the Umpire. Sir Joseph Ward replied that it was undesirable that the Post Oliiee should he regarded as a taxing machine. lie was satisfied that a recovery from loss would occur similar to. Canada and New Zealand, where both hud adopted penny postage. liegardiug Mr. Deakin's resolution for a SURTAX of one per cent, on all imports in the Empire, Sir Joseph Ward expressed his doubts of the wisdom of the policy. He preferred the necessary amount being voted by Parliament on the estimates to commence. A surtax of one per cent. meant, increasing it considerably within a limited period. Cue per cent, would ■ produce only £20,110.0 a year in New Zea--1 land, and if called upon to join with England and Canada for the purposes of i mail services, the development and reduction of cables, and concessions on i canal charges, it would mean two nnd a ■ half or even live per cent, lie'disliked . the system, which had, in his opinion, . many disadvantages. Sir Joseph Ward supported the pro I posal of Australia for a MINT I'Ult SILYEK COIXACE, 1 and asked the Chancellor of the Ex--5 eheipier to allow New Zealand to follow the tames onrse if though desirable - lie did not think New Zealand was like- • ly to undertake it at present, but he : wanted the same conditions as Australia. * The Chancellor of (he Kxeheipicr/con- ■ curred. lie said be was willing to eoncede Australia and New Zealand independent action if tliev so elected. j Sir Joseph Ward 'was entertained at .' dinner by Air. Wallers, proprietor of the . London Times. To-night he proceeded 1 to Scotland to receive the freedom of the , City of Edinburgh to-morrow