Imperial Conference

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 310, 25 May 1911, Page 5

Imperial Conference

OPENING SIl! JOSEPH WARD'S RESOLUTION'. By Cable—Press Association—Oooyright. Loudon, May 23. Mr. Asquith, at tiie Foreign Olticc, heartily welcomed the delegates and briefly defined the scope of the Conference. Messrs Harcourt and Buxton and several other Ministers were present The Press was not admitted. The crowd cheered the' delegates. The first meeting of the Conference lasted two and a-half hours. ; Mr. Asquith, in half-an-hours speech, made sympathetic references to the deaths of King Edward and Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, and emphasised the non-party character of the Conference.

The five Premiers, of Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Newfoundland, made speeches in reply. The Conference decided to sit on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 11 to 1.30 o'clock, and in the afternoons >f the business were urgent.

Sir Joseph his resolution in favor of the admission of the Press, as the other delegates considered that it would hamper tliem in speaking. An official summary will be issued daily. Sir Joseph Ward moved his Imperial Council resolution, and had not finished his speech at the adjournment.

THE OPENING SPEECHES. THE COLONIES AND THE MOTHERLAND. "UNITS BUT UNITS IN GREATER UNITY." THE PREMIER'S REMARKS. Received 24, 9.25 p.m. London, May 24. Mr. Asquith said it was a happy coincidence that the time chosen for the Conference enabled the statesmen of the self-governing dominions to personally take part in the Coronation. The Empire was made up of countries not geographically co-terminous or even contiguous. It did not even draw its unifying or cohesive force solely from the identity of race or language. They had here a political organisation which by its mere existence, ruled out the possibility of war between populations numbering something like a third of the human race. In the early Victorian era there were two rough-and-ready solutions of colonial problems. One was centralisation, or government from Downing-street. The other was disintegration, hj which each community as it reached manhood could, without embitterment, start its independent existence. After seventy years of Imperial evolution, neither theory commanded the faintest support of any part of the Empire. Now each intended to remain master of its own household and remain units, but units in greater unity.

AUSTRALIA'S PREMIER. | Mr. Fisher (Premier of Australia) said he came to the Conference as a whole-, hearted advocate of the Conference and to gain knowledge if he could not only of the centre of the. Empire, but of the centres of other dominions. Re earnestly appealed to Mr. Asquith to take some strong steps to remedy the grave abuse affecting the commerce of the Empire and other countries in the shape of the exorbitant Suez Canal charges. He hoped the Government would afford the dominions more expeditious access to trade reports from every part of the world. Referring to the defence scheme, he said Australia desired to help in the preservation of the honor and greatness of the 'Mother Country, and would cheerfully co-operate with the Mother Country. While protecting her own shores the Commonwealth desired to assist anything in the shape of international arbitration and to preserve the peace of the world. SIR JOSEPH WARD. Sir Joseph Ward eulogised the late Sir Henry Bannerman's initiatory work resulting in the consolidation of South Africa, while preserving its local autonomy. It was essential to make a step forward if they wished to prevent the rise of disintegration. He recognised the necessity of elasticity in matters which might be the outcome of the Conference.

GENERAL BOTHA GRATIFIED. General Botha (Premier of South Africa) was gratified to participate in the Conference. He was abl« to say that in South Africa, where there had been so much discord and so much blood flown, concord and harmony now reigned. They were inspired with the hope and courage for the future. TO ADMIT THE PRESS. Sir Wilfrid Laurier (Premier of Canada) moved, and Mr. Fisher seconded, an address of homage to the King. The motion was carried. Sir Joseph Ward, in moving the motion re the admission of the Press, referred to the •difficulty of obtaining information in connection with the last Conference, a difficulty which the Press were unable to control. Sir Wilfrid Laurier said the arrangements at the last Conference were satisfactory. The people of New Zealand were as well informed as the people ot London or Canada. If the Press were admitted, the deliberations would assume a public discussion. It was necessary to preserve privacy and publish the results and not differences of opinion. Mr. Fislier sympathised with the reso-' lution, but said if the Press withdrew when a particular subject was discussed public attention would he markedly drawn. He suggested that the confidential subjects be separated from the rest. General Botha opposed the motion. Mr. Asquith suggested that Sir Joseph Ward would not press the motion. He appreciated his reasons, but it must be remembered that the Conference would not take the part of a public meeting. Its usefulness would be impaired if the questions were not discussed freely. The

occasional exclusion of the Press would excite curiosity, and pictures would be drawn of conflicts within the Conference, •Sir Joseph Ward said that in view of tne opinions expressed, he saw no chance of carrying the resolution, which he withdrew.

Mr. Asquith explained that naval and military matters would be discussed in the Committee of Imperial Defence, where tlicv would have the advantage of experts' advice. Also it would probably be desirable not to bring other technical subjects to the Conference until discussed by the overseas representatives and the Imperial departments concerned.

LAST CONFERENCE. ITS FAR-REACHING RESULTS. Received 24, 10.30 p.m. London, May 24. Mr. Asquith, during his speech, said there were proposals on the agenda aiming for some closer political union in the shape of an advisory council. Without offering an opinion, he ventured to observe that they should not lose sight of elasticity and flexibility in Imperial organisation. He trusted the Imperial Government would be able to offer acceptable suggestions in regard to the constitution of the Colonial Office and regarding the segregation and eoneentra-

tion of work appropriate to the dominions from the other work of the department. lie referred to the far-reaching results of the last Defence Conference, and the inauguration of the Canadian and Australian fleets, giving as they did further impetus to the spirit of self-reliance. It was highly desirable to take stock together of the possible risks and the dangers to which they were exposed in common, and weigh carefully and adequately the reciprocal adaptiveness of the contributions they were making and to provide against them. He believed there was throughout the Conference one spirit and one purpose, i.e., to make the Empire in all its parts a more complete and effective instrument for the furtherance of liberty.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier said lie might claim that the work of last Conference was productive of material and even important results. He represented a country which had no grievances and very few suggestions to make. They were satisfied with their lot and he approached his colleagues' suggestion with an open mind. He recognised the truth of the principle that the British Empire can and ought to obtain live Imperial unity, together with their local autonomy.