IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 December 1916, Page 5

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

ENTHUSIASTIC APPROVAL. /Austr.ilian-X.Z. Cable Association. Ottawa, Dec, 27. Enthusiastic approval is given to Mr. Lloyd George's proposal to hold an Imperial \A ai Conference. The Press hails Mr. Lloyd George as a statesman with the widest imperial outlook, and declares that the Empire anxiously awaits Mich a conference at the present crisis. BRITISH PREMIER'S PROMPTNESS. Deceived Dec. 28, §.50 p.'.n London, Dec. „i. The Manchester Guardian says that what impresses one most concerning the invitation to the Dominion. Premiers is the energy and promptitude displayed. It is a month since the ?mall War Cabinet, was initiated, but only a week since Mr. Lloyd George made nis first speech as Premier, yet the invitation lias already gone out. It is hoped that the first meeting will be held at the end of February, necessitating the Premiers from distant parts packing their boxes immediately. This rapidity of decision and promptness of action arc supreme virtues, and augur '.veil for the future. Already the. decision to hold an Imperial Conference has begun to sprout, and under the influence of current events the Government Departments are no longer forts, passively resisting the influence of new ideas. Tiie Star comments that the convening of tiie Empire War Council directly hears on peace, indicating clearly that i.lie Allies regard seriously Germany's proposals for a conference.

CONFERENCE HAILED WITH SATIS ' ; • FACTION*. PRESS COMMENTS'. < DOMINIONS DESERVE RECOGNITION. Received Dec. £B, 11.13 p.m. London Dec. 28.

There was considerable satisfaction evinced-at political clubs over the announcement of the convening of an Imperial Conference, which is really a special War Council for bringing the whole Empire into closer touch with the facts concerning the conflict, and the conditions which must be achieved before peace can he declared. It is understood that Mr. Bonar Law was responsible for the immediate summoning of the conference, and pressed the proposal* strongly on Mr. Asquith. ' The Daily Chronicle, commenting on the Conference, says that the Dominions ■richly merited this recognition. There was something sublime in the sheer nobility of their free-will war offerings, but, under the existing .system, tlie Dominions might be dragged by inept British statesmanship into a war wherewith the Dominions were not concerned. Our political machinery must be adapted so as to give t'hem a voice in shaping the Imperial policy. Newspapers express hopes that the Irish settlement will be a by-product of this epoch-making Conference.

JIR. HUGHES' INTENTIONS. Received Dec. 2S, 10 p.m. Melbourne, Dec. 28. Mr. Hughes preserves a strict silence regarding his intentions as to attending the Imperial Conference. The Senate elections, which are due, may be postponed for several months. It is understood that Mr, Hughes will be free to leave in the middle of January.

NEW ZEALAND'S REPRESENTATIVES. (From Our Own Corresppndent.) Wellington, Doe. 2". The summoning of Dominion Prime Ministers to a War Conference of the Empire, to he held in London "not lat'nthan the end of February," will detain Mr. Masscy. and probably Sir Joseph Ward also,' in the United Kingdom. The invitation as it stands is to Prime Ministers only, but the fact that the two heads of New Zealand's Coalition Ministry are in London may be taken into consideration by the Imperial authorities. If one Minister only i-3 to be admitted to the War Conference, Sir Joseph Ward will start for New _ Zealand in advance of the Prime Minister, according to the plans he has indicated already. He intends to visit Canada on his way, and probably will make some stav there.

There is reason to believe that a session of the Xew Zealand Parliament will lie held early in ilnv, hut naturally the date will lie dependent upon the movements of Mr. Massoy and Sir Joseph Ward. Probably Mr. Massev will he unable to reach the Dominion ■ before the end of April, even if the conference is a fdiort one. It is undeistood that Sir Joseph Ward has practically completed the fmniM'ial business tliSt lie had to transact in London on behalf of the Xew Zealand Government