VARIOUS CABLES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8405, 20 April 1907, Page 5

VARIOUS CABLES.

UNIONIST BANQUET. Received April 19, 11.6 p.m. LONDON, ApriU9. The Unionist banquet to the Premiers, at Albert Hall, was a colossal function. Four thousand people were present. One thousand eight hum dred sat down to dinner —the largest number on record for London. A special floor had been laid down, designed to represent the Union Jack. A floral canopy above formed an Imperial crown with red, white and blue garlands stretched from the crown to the coats-of-arms of the colonies Madame Clara Butt sang the National Anthem, and Mr Arthur Royd sang "God Bless the Prince of Wales." Mr Joseph Chamberlain wrote stating that he was convinced that the Imperial Conference would mark another great step in the union of the Empire. "This development," he said, "we owe more to the sister States than to ourselves." He predicted that Britain would not long shirk from the only method cf giving effect to the movement. Mr Balfour, who presided over the gathering, in proposing the health of the guests, emphasised the fact that Britain and the colonies were making an audacious yet hopeful experiment in binding in one empire communities that were unhampered and untrammelled in liberty and freedom of their government. They were a true parallel family, not an alliance or partnership. Mr Balfour dealt with the reason why realisation of the ideal should be permanent.