THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8404, 19 April 1907, Page 5

THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

A CONSULTATIVE IMPERIAL COUNCIL. Received April 18, 10.10 a.m. LONDON. April 17. The Imperial Conference has resumed. Sir Joseph Wiird moved a resolution expressing the conference's deep regret at tho death of Mr Scddon, and recognising; his strenuous work in the interest of the Empire. Lord Elgin, Secretary of State for the Colonies, endorsed Sir Joseph Ward's eulogy of the docensed statesman. The resolution was ■unrwimously carried in silence. The conference then proceeded to discuss resolutions submitted by Mr Deakin and Sir Joseph Ward in favour of an Imperial Council of a purely cosultative and ndvisdory character. Dr. Jameson, Premier ot Cape Colony, supported the 3iop< si'. Sir Wilfrid Laurier. i 'iner of Canada, showed e.\t :.c ; iv,i ' tut ion. General Botha, Premier of the Transvaal, thought it was better to leave well alone. It would be a mistake to create ?. department which would rival the Colonial Office. Lord Elgin, Secretary of State for the Colonies, notified his intention to .submit'a resolution which he hoped would meet the difficulty. Received April 18, 10.15 p.m. LONDON,/April 18. Dr Deakin urged the establishment of a consultative, advisory Imperial Council of tho Prime Ministers of Great Britain and the autonomous colonies, without executive authority, assisted by a secretariate to bridge intervals between the Conferences. He suggested that the Prime Minister and not the Colonial Office should be the medium through which the autonomous colonies should work. •, Sir Joseph Ward urged that) the British and colonial Prime Ministers, with the Secretary of State for the Colonies, should be the members of the Council. / Received April 18, 10.29 p.m. LONDON, April 18. Lord Elgin urged that the Colonial Office had 1 done good work in the past prepared to work for a policy of continuity. The British Government was unable to agree to the creation of a separate body with cower of interference between the respective Governments. That would be a dangerous course to pursue. (The Premiers interjected "We do not (Suggest anything of the kind.") Lord Elgin submitted a long resolution, which he hoped the conference would accept to settle the difficulty. A decision is expected to-morrow. General Botha implied that the present machinery of the conference was not. unsatisfactory. They might discuss improvements and then leave the matter over for future settlement. It would be best to build slowly.