IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 179, 7 January 1915, Page 4

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

HON. JAMES ALLEN'S OPINION. SHOULD NOT BE HELD THIS YEAR. By Telegraph.— Per Press Association. Dnnedin, Last Night. In the course of an interview to-dav, Hon J. Allen referred to the suggestion by the London Times that the Imperial Conference should be held this year. Mr. Allen said lie agreed with the. Right Hon. Fisher as to the necessity for .Ministers in Great Britain pavins official visits to the distant Dominions." He also thought Imperial Conferences should lie held more frequently than in the pnst. He did not think a conference should be hold this year, unless Britain asked for it without' pressure from the outlyin* portions of the Empire. He thought that at present Imperial Ministers should be left free to carry out the important works on hand. lie also thought the Prime Minister should not be absent from the post of duty in New Zealand at present. In fact, lie did not think any Minister could be spared just now. There would lie splendid material for the next Imperial Conference to lmild its new work on, and lie hoped the edifice erected would be one proving the solidarity of the Empire. At present we required faith in the controlling authority at Home, trust in theij judgment, and a firm belief that they would act in the best interests of the Empire, Nothing must be done to distract them, or take tlieir minds away from the colossal task in hand.