THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 334, 22 June 1911, Page 5

THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

ALIEN EXCLUSION 1 . BRITAIN'S VULNERABLE MARINE. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Received 21. '9.20 p.m. London, June 21. The Imperial Conference sat at two o'clock.

Sir J. G. Ward's motion that it is desirable that the question of uniformity in the alien immigration exclusion law be referred to Sir W. Laurier's Royal Commission, was carried. Sir Rufus Isaacs, K.C., reported that the committee had considered the enfercement of the commercial arbitration award. He would move that in order to carry out its conclusion, the Imperial Government and the Dominions should concertedly consider whether it was desirable, and to what extent it was practicable to mutually enforce the judgments of the court, including commercial

awards passed. Mr. A. Fisher, speaking of the Suez Canal, said that unless the charges were lowered it might be the duty 6f the Commonwealth to try to find relief in another direction.

Mr. McKinnon Wood sympathised with Mr. Fisher's point of view. The State Government always regarded shipping interests as more important that the shareholders' interests, and had not allowed the latter consideration to deter the pressing of reductions. Sir J. G. Ward supported Mr. Fisher. A precis of Monday's discussion was issued last night. Mr. Buxton said the principle of the present merchant shipping legislation was fairly plain and simple. Broadly speaking,. the law.ruling shipping was the code of the country of registration. That code followed- the vessel round .the world, but was modified by the Dominions' power to regulate their own coasting trade. Sir J. G. Ward's proposal was wide and vague, and might involve serious consequences to trade if British ships trading to various Dominions were subjected to stringent differing codes. Dominion conditions could not be so effectively enforced' against foreigners as against Britishers; hence the result would be a discrimination which would be a disadvantage to the Britisher. If they did enforce it against foreigners, retaliation would ensue, the brunt of which would fall on the United Kingdom shipping, as Britain was the world's carrier, and her trade was vulnerable to reprisals. Considerable uniformity in the overseas mercantile marine had already been obtained, and he would strive to extend rather than curtail this uniformity. ' He hoped Sir J. G. Ward would not press the motion.

Sir J. G. Ward declared that something in the nature of his proposal was necessary to enable New Zealand to sustain the labor conditions the people required. He declined to withdraw his motion. Sir W. Laurier considered it desirable that the position be made clear.

Mr. Bordeur recited cases where Canada's legislative action had been seriously curtailed by the Tepeal of Imperial Acts whereon Canadian legislation was based.

Mr. Pearce claimed that the Commonwealth's constitution gave power for legislation on {he subject. Sir J. G. Ward said the wording of New Zealand's constitution was substantially similar to the Commonwealth's; yet the Royal assent was withheld.

RECIPROCAL VISITS. CONFERENCE OVERSEAS. FINAL COMPLIMENTS. Received 21, 10.30 p.m. London, June 21. Mr. Asquith presided at the final session. Mr. Fisher moved in the direction of securing reciprocal visits to the British Dominions of Ministers from various parts of the Empire. He also desired the next Imperial Conference to be bejel overseas. The question of reciprocal visits was agreed to. Mr. Asquith intimated he would endeavor to afford an opportunity for one or more of his collegues to accede to Mr. Fisher's wishes, but doubted the utility of holding meetings abroad. Under the present method all departments and records were in London at the Conference's disposal.

Mr. Fisher said he believed the Conference would eventually meet more frequently than once in four years. He amended his motion to ask the Government to consider the possibility of a conference or a subsidiary conference overseas. This was adopted. Sir W. Laurier expressed his gratitude to Mr. Asquith and Mr. Harcourt for the manner in which they had carried out the labors of the Conference. The heaviest work fell to Mr. Harcourt. He desired to proclaim the Conference's appreciation of the King's, his Ministers, and the people's kindness. Sir J. 0. Ward endorsed the remarks, eulogising Mr. Asquith for devoting his time to presiding at the deliberations. He .appreciatively referred to the ser vices of the Colonial Office officials. The Conference had accomplished a vast amount of good, especially in the matter of defence. Xo previous Conference had done more valuable work.

General Botha declared the present Conference had called into life friendships that would lead to a better cooperation in the future.

Mr. Fisher believed the Conference, by its work, would lay the foundation of a broader and safer fraternity than had hitherto existed. In the past they negotiated with the Motherland at her pornls. Now they were called to her Inner Councils. He felt sure the people they represented would welcome the step. He asked the people not tc \>e too anxious to know all that had been said by Britain's responsible men here to those responsible in the Dominions, resting content with the assurance that the

Ring's advisors wore doing their best in the interest of every subject. Mr. Asquith. in thanking the Premiers, said he was confident the presidency of the Conference would be regarded in future as one of the obvious and Most important duties of tiie Prime Minibter.

The dominant note of the Conference was the attempt to promote and develop a closer co-operation, through free and frank discussion. The valufc of the Conference and its permanent results must not be judged entirely by the actual proposals adopted. Even in that respect it need not fear comparison with its predecessors. They had cleared the air, and cleared the ground, and got a better mutual understanding and a truer perspective and proportion of Imperial problems. The Conference was a significant one in respect to the Dominions' admission to the innermost part of the Imperial household. Its secrets were laid bare and not reserved. He believed, after Sir E. Grey's exposition, all realised in a more intimate sense the international position and its bearings upon the problems of government throughout the Empire, Military and naval cooperation was dealt with in such a way that, while recognising that common obligations must be performed in different parts of the Empire in accordance with local needs, local opinions anil local circumstances, they could not take the world or even their fellow citizens into their confidence. But if the Conference had done nothing else, these things were a landmark in the development of Imperial constitutional history. Mr. Asquith recapitulated the work done, and attached much importance to what had been agreed to in regard to a Court of Appeal for the Dominions. They had well-formed criticisms, and he believed tliey would shortly secure a tribunal possessing the unanimous confidence of the Empire. AH would return to their respective spheres witlf a stronger sense of common obligations, a more complete confidence in ojie another, and a more earnest determination to work for the good of the whole.

Mr. Harcourt also thanked the over sea representatives.