PARTNERS, NOT SHAREHOLDERS

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

PARTNERS, NOT SHAREHOLDERS

IN THE GREAT BRITISH EMPIRE. SPEECHES AT THE PARLIAMENTARY DINNER. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright London, Juno 20. Mr. Rhodes, M.P. for Ellesmcre, New Zealand, responding at the Parliamentarians' Dinner to Oversea Parliamentarians, said that when the —nresentatives of the Dominions as I) "-<voodsmen retreated to the bush am! viehled the axe or mustered their flocks they would look back kindly on that gathering within those ancient walls, and Lord Rosebery's eloquence would ring in their ears. They came to pay allegiance to the King, who was no stranger to them, and was known throughout the Empire as 110 British Sovereign had been known before, He looked forward to welcoming the Prince of Wales, when, following his father's footsteps, he set out to tread the path of Empire. (Cheers.) Throughout the Dominions it was recognised tluit the Motherland had demanded nothing of them in the past, had given them protection and made enormous sacrifices for them, and, though under her protection they had blossomed forth as young nations, they had no desire to become separate nations. (Cheers.) They realised fully what would be their fate in sucli circumstances. Their desire was rather to draw tighter the ties of Empire. Sir Joseph Ward's scheme for an Imperial Council had not been adopted; perhaps it was premature, but surely was not too high an ideal to aim at. (Cheers.) The Dominions felt bound to share the burdens of Empire, and felt that in doing so they must have a voice in the settlement of foreign questions affecting their destinies.

Lord Rosebery had asked what was the Dominions' message to the Mother Country. He ventured to formulate a reply:—"We desire not to be shareholders 'in the great Company of Empire, but partners." (Cheers.) Mr. J. T. Molteno, Sneaker of the South African Parliament, emphasised the entire absence of election petitions in South Africa and the perfect smoothness of the strenuous Parliamentary session. Racialism was a thing of the past. The best form of patriotism for the Dominions was each to keep her own house in order and make her own corner of the Empire strong. The strength of the individual parts was the strength of the whole. That being so, he thought iSouth Africa had won the Empire's confidence. (Cheers.)i