A LEAD TO THE EMPIRE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 167, 9 August 1909, Page 2

A LEAD TO THE EMPIRE

SHAKING THE BURDENS. COLONIES AND THE MOTHERLAND. SIR JOSEPH WARD AS IMPERIALIST A GREAT SPEECH. I By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright Received 8, 8.5 p.m. London, August 7. The Imperial Co-operation League Imiolieoned Sir Joseph Ward (Premier of New Zealand). The guests included Lady Ward, Lord Hampden, Rear-Ad-miral Ottley, Sir Sanford Mining, Dr. Fitchett, Admiral Freemantle, Mr. Cathenrt Wason, M.P., Mr. Arthur Myers, ex-Mayor of Auckland. Lord Onslow, who presided, remarked lhafthe present Conference was a great i milestone on the road of Imperial fed--1 oration. New Zealand's Spontaneous , Drcadnoughs offer was

A SPLENDID IMPULSE to tlie maintenance and continuity of | Imperial conferences. Lord Onslow, emphasising Xew Zealand placing defence in the forefront of her aspirations, concluded by hoping Sir Joseph Ward would continue to give a lead to the Empire, in order, lie said, "that wo might be united in one common defence." Sir Joseph Ward, responding, said he understood the main purpose of the League was to help people

TO THINK IMPERIALLY (cheers), an intelligent thought that was easily passed into action, and, as soon as the bulk of them thought they would act together on great Imperial questions, the true consolidation and safety of the Empire would be assured. (Cheers). With an Empire so vast and so diverse in conditions and interests, co-ordination and consolidation presented

A PROBLEM that would tax the wisest heads. Take defence, which was the foundation whereon the whole Imperial superstructure must rest. It was stated on the one hand that there was need of one absolutely unfettered centre of control to enable the whole forces of the Empire to be directed from the one point in ease of necessity. It was stated on the other hand that the oversea dominions Would not be justified in leaving themselves locally helpless; that thev would <l.> best by relieving the Motherland of all or much of the burden of local defence, each dominion controlling its' own unit. These two apparently conflicting views were worthy of every effort that was being made by statesmen in all parts of the Empire in an endeavor to solve it.

RECONCILING CONFLICTING VIEWS. He could not be expected to express an opinion, or enter into details, concerning the problem of reconciling them while the Naval Conference was sitting. Ho could, however, say that all present were animated by tin earnest desire to help forward the great work of Empire. Our defence, though undoubtedly tlte greatest, was' not the only Impevial matter wherein the interests of the Motherland and the oversea Dominions were not identical. He instanced shipping, regarding which the existence of conflicting interests had been recognised and an earnest effort made to remove or reconcile them by conference.

THE VALUE OF CONFERENCES; He believed in conferences'. A day's honest and earnest talk round a table often accomplished more than a year's memorandum and printing. Isolated and intermittent conferences were makeshifts at the best. In his .judgment, some scheme of continuity must be devised or they must evolve one. Personally he had unlimited faith in the capacity of that remarkable figment called

'•THE BRITISH CONSTITUTION," which was not one incomprehensible but many incomprehcnsibles, born nobody precisely knew when or how, or consisting of what no man precisely knew. Referring to the League's work/ho said they should send a representative to N'ew Zealand. He would be heartily welcomed and New Zcnhindcrs would do fhoirutmost to make him feel that he was' in a British country and made at home as much as in Britain.

BRITAIN" XOT DECADENT. ; Sir Joseph Ward did not believe tliere was any decadence in England. The visitors who saw nt Portsmouth those splendid lines of battleships with "iO,OOO seamen ready for striking for King and country recognised that at heart the nation was true and that there was one desire to elevate old England to n still higher plane and remove any ascertainable eauses that suggested'the expressions of decadence in the minds of some portions of the community.

IMPROVED CABLE FACILITIES. The speaker proceeded to emphasise the need of improved cable communication in the direction of cheapness, without doing an injury to the owners of private cables and bringing into close touch the people of all parts of .the Empire. It was a great cause to work for, and he would gladly do anything in his power to help those engaged in what ho regarded as a great Empire movement. (Cheers). He appreciated Lord Onslow's allusion to Xew Zealand's offer of a Dreadnought, and claimed no credit for the Dominion for doing what it considered its duty. Apart from the intrinsic worth 0 f the Dreadnought the moral effect of the offer was incomparably greater. It was liv

CO-OPERATION in this and othe r directions that they could do so much to figuratively, indeo'd literally, bring the oversea dominions into closer and real touch with the Motherland, lie had jrrcat faith in the capacity of the British Constitution to adapt itself to the changes' which must come, if the nation were to abide as one great whole instead of splitting oil into ragmots. "On that dav," he concluded, "the oversea dominions wiil not be dependencies. Thev will be votir cohorts-parts of a mighty Empire sharing with you besides the burden of defence, the privilege and responsibility of Government." (Cheers).