AUSTRALIAN ANNIVERSARY DAY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8345, 30 January 1907, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN ANNIVERSARY DAY.

BANQUET IN LONDON. • Received January 29, 10.2 p.m. LONDON, January 29. The Australian Anniversary Day banquet was held at . the Trocadero. There werp 190 persons present, including the Lord Mayor and Messrs Montague Nelson, W. P. Reeves and many representative merchants, bankers and shipowners. , Lord Tennyson and proposed the toast of "The Day We Celebrate." He read messages from Messrs Deakin and Bent, which were received with applause. Lord Tennyson strongly advocated the immigration of carefully selected British men and women, who would greatly strengthen the \ Commonwealth. He hoped the Colonial Conference would consider the establishment of a co-op-erative system of colonial defence throughout the Empire, and the - organisation of an Intelligence committee. He hoped the Australian representatives would submit av carefully considered 'scheme of preferential tariff sin favour of British commodities, which would lead up to interImperial free trade. He hoped that Sir Henry Campbell - Bannerman would open the Colonial Conference, and show that it was?not only colonial but Imperial. ■ ' „ Sir J. A- Cockburn proposed the toast of the Imperial Government. Lord Elgin, in replying, said the greatest difficulty in bringing about unity of sentiment between the Governments of the colonies and the Motherland was the want of acquaintance. Therefore, he would appreciate nothing more than forming the acquaintance of the leaders of colonial Parliaments at the Conference. While he wasjpreparing the programme it would be obviously improper of him to express an opinion on Lord Tennyson's suggestions. He Would cordially welcome Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman opening the Conference. Lord Brassey proposed the toast of the. Imperial Forces* Admiral Bowden Smith and General Hutton replied. The latter advocated the establishment , of a Motherland militia, similar to Canada's and Australia's militia. ,

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