THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8392, 9 April 1907, Page 5

THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Received April 8, 10.32 a.m. HOBART, April 8,

The Premier has received a depatch from Lord Elgin.. Secretary of State for the Colonies, dealing with the representation of the States at the Imperial Conference. It is laid down in the despatch that the States have surrendered to the Commonwealth some of the most distinctive attributes of self-government in the fullest sense of the word, and that the great majority of the subjects, and the most important ones, to be discussed at the conference are now the business of the Commonwealth alone. For this reason the Imperial Government is not able to arrange for separate representation of the Australian States at the conference. Received April 8, ll. r 57 p.m. SYDNEY, April 8. Mr J. H. Carruthers, commenting on Lord Elgin's despatch, contends that there will be several important matters before the Conference more of State interest than Federal interest, notably the Emigration and Reservation Bills for Royal assent, about which the Imperial Government are about to legislate. The States also had enormous financial dealings with the centre of the Empire and their finances would for a very long time be more of an Imperial question than those of the Commonwealth, yet the States had not been invited to participate in the conference. MR DEAKIN. Received April 8, 8.37 a.m. LONDON, April 7. Mr Deakin broke his journey at Paris. He will arrive in London tomorrow.