UNITY AND AUTONOMY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 234, 8 February 1911, Page 8

UNITY AND AUTONOMY

THE IMPERIAL BOND. SIR JOSEPH WARD ON THE DOMINION'S DUTY. Ohakune, Tuesday. A brief hut interesting reference to the twin subjects of Imperial unity and local autonomy was made by Sir Josepn Ward in the course of a speech at Raetihi to-day. Sir Joseph was referring to the coming Imperial Conference, at which matters of import to the Empire were to be discussed by representatives of the various component parts, and then went on to say: "But though we will take part in such a conference through our representative, we want to be able to carve out our own destiny. We will allow no outside interference of any sort or kind with our own internal affairs. This is the inalienable right of our people, and it is the duty of the Dominion's public men to permit no encroachment. The people will agree that this is the right course to adopt. Wc must""guard our rights to govern ourselves, and cannot allow anyone to interfere with them, but yet when the day comes wc must be ready to join hands with the Mother Country and the other oversea Dominions in working for the defence and preservation of the Empire as a whole." (Applause.) THE ALIEN MENACE.

The Prime Minister pointed to tile fact that within a comparatively short distance there were 500,000,000 people of an alien race from whose development grave danger to Australasia must arise "We want now to be practically sure," he declared, "that our position with relation to the Old Land is made such that there can be no possible doubt as to our being able to guard and keep this beautiful and prosperous country as a heritage to succeeding generations. The only way to prevent aggression on ua and all consequences of war is for all parts of the British Empire to be ready to defend ourselves and to stand united against any comers." (Applause.) NEW ZEALAND'S DREADNOUGHT. Sir Joseph Ward mentioned, when speaking at Rangataua, that New Zealand's contribution to the British Navy will be launched on June 29th next Wellington Times,