AN IMPERIAL IDEAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 332, 20 June 1911, Page 5

AN IMPERIAL IDEAL.

JIR. BALFOUR'S DREAM. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright N London, June 18. Mr. Balfour, presiding at a luncheon at the Constitutional Club in honor of the overseas Premiers, said he rejoiced that the latter should honor the club. The Premiers themselves were party politicians, and knew that the party system was essential to the working of free institutions and representative government, and therefore all were aware that the party system was not inconsistent with national unity. They welcomed. them at a party gathering, as that was, in no party spirit, but recognising their business here could only be conducted through the Government of the country for the time being. Their visit concerned the development of the greatest experiment ever made in the government of man. The t : -ne might .come when the great and gr : ng Dominions felt it preferable to go cir «wn way like adults in a family. That might happen, and the worldly wise would say it was probable; yet he thought there was a higher and better way. He dreamed other dreams of the future. He thought they now thoroughly realised that in every community of the empire each was to manage its own affairs, carry out its own life, and make its own experiments as a political atom. But if upon that solid basis they built up something the world had never seen — a coaNtion of free, self-governing communities, conscious that they were never more masters of their own fate than when recognising they were parts of a great whole, lie saw the beginnings today of which posterity would see the full fruition. Such conferences as those now proceeding would help towards the realisation of the ideal and the great cause for which their visitors were labor-

Sir Wilfrid Laurier, in responding to the toast of the visitors, said that Canadians hoisted the policy of British preference to the topmast, there to stay. Reciprocity with the Ignited States would not involve the slightest danger to the interests of the Motherland, as whatever privileges were granted to others would he given equally to Britain.