COLONIES MOTHERLAND

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 28, 27 July 1911, Page 5

COLONIES MOTHERLAND

"A RIDICULOUS SUGGESTION." By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright London, July 25. General Botha, who is visiting Kissengen, disclaims knowledge of the Kolksstem articles. It would, he said, he absurd to content that because it might be in the interest of the Empire that one portion should remain neutral that an enemy would necessarily take the same view. The suggestion was so ridiculous that it was almost unnecessary to discuss it. MR, FISHER'S STATEMENT. ITS RELIABILITY QUESTIONED. Melbourne, July 26. Mr. O'Malley declares that Mr. Fisher's cabled interview was evoked by Julia, one of Mr. Stead's theosophical spooks. Members of the Governments of all the States express di.sbelief in the truth of the interview or express indignation. SIR JOHN QUICK'S VIEW. MR. FISHER'S COUNTERBLAST. Eeceived 17, 1.40 a.m. London, July 26. Sir John Quick, in a speech at Plymouth, said that Mr. Fisher might speak for himself and a small clique of Socialists, but the statement was a perversion and a gross misrepresentation of the views of the great mass of Australian people and the Australian democracy. Sir John Quick's explanation was that the Socialistic Party was threatening to depose Mr. Fisher from the leadership, and his anti-British and antiImperial speech was a Bort of rallying counterblast for the extremists and revolutionists.INTERVIEW ACCURATELY CABLED. ■A POISONOUS DOCTRINE. Received 26, 10.10 p.m. London, July 20. Mr. Fisher's interview was accurately cabled. The Globe says that Australians were not long in repudiating Mr. Fisher's sentiments. They fully realise the value erf the Imperial connections, and have no belief in the poisonous Laurier doctrine of taking all the advantages and parting company in time of danger. Apparently Sir W. Lauvicr's views captivated Mr. Fisher. FUTURE OF THE EMPIRE. SPEECH BY STR JOSEPH WARD. Sir Joseph Ward, speaking at a meeting in London on June 13, called by the Royal Colonial Institute, said that if the Empire was to have no closer unity than a quadrennial meeting of Prime Ministers round a table in London, then, to his mind, the outlook for Imperial unity was grave and Two courses presented themselves at this juncture. First, Great Britain might acquiesce in the continuance of the present system, and permit in time the great self-governing Dominions to enter upon foreign policies of their own and into alliances—commercial, or even perhaps defensive—of their own with other nations, permit them to develop on their own lines a naval policy, and ultimately the colonics would have to declare for peace ihv the assertion of independence, for under no other means could such a state of things be consummated. The only other course was that of Imperial co-operation. (Applause.) At present millions of white British subjects beyond the sens had no voice whatever in the maintenance, production, or control ot the navy, no voice whatever in the allimportant question of peace or war. While these people overseas were disfranchised in this way we never could and never would have a tme Imperial svstcm.

The Karl of Relborne, in opening the discussion, said he would remind Sir Joseph Ward, as regarded the American colonies, that at that time this country wa.s a comparatively .small and poor country, having just borne the whole brunt and expense of a war with Fiance, which added Canada to the Empire, and. although the statesmen of those davs were ill-advised and clnmsv in their dealings with the colonies to the last degree, yet their case .was that' the American colonies ought to bear some share of the burden of defence which had been cast upon them by the war. But thev did it entirely in the wrong way. by trying to im|Kise taxes on free men of our own race without their consent. iA* regarded tlie future, Lord Solbornc said we in this country must be prepared to see the centre of gravitv of the Empire pas« from the United Kingdom to ,=oiuc other part of the Empire. While we on this side of the water did not fe«l so free to speak on the subject as Sir Joseph AA'ard. vet when the statesmen of the Dominions ea.me forw-ird with a prepared scheme they would find manv in this country who would give up their political lives to support them. (Applause.)