THE COLONIAL PREMIERS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8406, 22 April 1907, Page 5

THE COLONIAL PREMIERS.

BANQUETED BY PILGRIMS' CLUB. Received April 21, 4 p.m. LONDON, April 20. The Pilgrims' Club banqueted the Premiers. It was a brilliant gathering, there being 350 present. Lord Roberts presided. The American Pilgrims telegraphed good wishes to the Premiers, who were not the least shining lights of the Empire. Sir Edward Grey, in proposing the health of the Premiers, said that the greatest glory of the Empire was the relations between the Motherland and the self-governing colonies. The word "colony" now meant freedom, and the word "empire" meant loyal affection. "Our future," said Sir Edward Grey, "depends on our being true to ourselves and true to each other. It had formerly been believed that freedom and union were incompatible. We can now show that they are not. only compatible but inseparable." Mr A. Deakin said he regarded the Conference as a germ of an association which would enable ..the Premiers to.speak in the Mother's House without bated breath, because they were members of the same family. He believed that Great Britain would become Greatest Britain during the present century. Hitherto the Erapire had been able to stand sustained by mutual affection, but it was feared that its sea power would not remain unchallenged. Australia, in undertaking the task of selfdevelopment, ihoped to accomplish for the Empire in .the Doutbern Seas a certainty of ports of security for commerce, coaling stations for Imperii! warships and food suppliers for Imperial squadrons. They had some near European neighbours in the South Seas, within striking distance, who woaild not have been there if the British Government had listened to Australia's early warnings. Australians refused to believe til-tat Australian interests could be separated from those of the whole fimpive. Could Australia lose or gain anything that the Ermpire did not lo.e or gain? If they really were., as he believed, one people, with Oi 1 e policy, o,«e flag, and one throne, where were the Australian interests which were not Imperial? The Premiers desired to stand back to back against the common enemies of the Empire. Sir J. G. Ward stated that New Zealand, to a large extent, re-echoed Mr Deakan's sentiments, though in some details they did not see eye to eye with him. Sir Joseph referred to New Zealand's efforts to render evei.y ir-p.n able to assist to defend hearth and home. Having a smaller coast-line th'.si Australia, New Zea* landers were convinced that, their best policy was, instead of establishing an independent navy, to make material contributions of linoney and men to the British Navy, because they knew, should trouble arise, their country's future would depend, not upon any settlement by the guns of their worships at the mouths of their rivers, but upon. iie events and happenings thousands of miles away. (Applause). Lord Roberts responded to the toast of his health, and deck-red that the vest majority of + he nation earnestly hoped that the Co,ifcren».e would promote Imperial unity.