THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8408, 24 April 1907, Page 5

THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

MR DEAKIN REPLIES' TO LORD ELGIN.

Received April 23, 8.34 a.m. LONDON, April 22. Mr Deakin, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth, states that neither he nor any other Premier ever suggested the creation of an authoritative body with executive jurisdiction. The denunciation by Lord Elign, Secretary of State for the Colonies, of an independent body which would interfere with autonomy is beside the question, since none of the Premiers ever hinted at such a proposal. All through the conference Sir Joseph Ward, Dr. Jameson, Mr Moor and he have simply been fighting for the independence of future conferences with regard to the Colonial Office, and as far as possible their independence of the British public service altogether. Although they have not secured emancipation from , the Colonial Office, that will be won at the next conference.

CHAINED MORE FIRMLY.

Received April 23, 8.34 a.m. LONDON, April 22. The Daily News declares it is fitting *hat a great step should be made under the aegis of a Liberal Government, which has conceded the conference all the trappings of national independence and imperial partnership, while chaining it 'more firmly to Downing Street, The paper proceeds to eulogise Mr Deakin's courage, and regrets that Sir Wilfrid Laurier has deserted the cause.of the younger nations.

CANADIAN COMMENTS

Received April 23, 8.34 a.m. OTTAWA, April 22. The Montreal Witness states that Lord Sirathcona is retiring from the Canadian High Commissicnership, and that Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Prime Minister of Canada, will replace him, with a peerage. The Toronto Mail, the chief organ of the Conservatives, complains that the attitude of Sir Wilfrid Laurier to the conference is cold and indifferent, and is unfair towards Canada.

A DRAMATIC CHALLENGE,

Received April 23, 8.5 a.m. LONDON, April 22. The Daily Mail says that Lord Elgin's ruling at the first sitting of the conference that Ministers accompanying Premiers were expected to remain "within call of the Colonial Office" in case they were wanted for consultation, was a delicate request to Ministers to withdraw. The phrase "within call" astounded the Ministers, who were indignant, and asked why they were brought to England unless for the purpose of participating in the conference. Sir William Lyne (Commonwealth Minister for Trade and Customs) propounded two alternatives—either that he be treated as a member of the conference, or that he leave the country in twenty-four hours. The threat had its effect.

Received April 23, 8.5 a.m. LONDON, April 22

During the discussions at the conference Sir William Lyne objected to the title "Imperial" bein,g applied to the conference unless its limitations were clearlv defined.

PRESS OPINIONS. Received April 23, 8.5 a.m. LONDON, April 22. The Daily Telegraph says that,the conference of the Prime Ministers of the Empire is now a fact. Each Premier has a responsibility to his own part of the Empire, while as a body the Premiers are responsible to the whole of the Empire. That is a great gain. The Standard expresses satisfaction at the progress made, considering the British spirit of caution and compromise. A stroke of the pen abolishes the conception of the sister States as dependencies of the Motherland. Britain's Premier will in future be "primus inter pares." The Daily Express declares that the week's work is excellent. . The Daily Graphic hopes th'at an Under-Secretary will be appointed to saperintend the new division of the Colonial Office that will be created to deal with the self-governing States. Received April 23, 10.18 p.m. LONDON, April 23. The Daily Chronicle says that the Imperial Conference secretariat was belittled in some quarters as a triumph of bureaucracy. "We trust," says the paper, "that Lord Elgin will not so interpret it. However ably manned the Colonial Office does not enjoy the whole-hearted confidence of colonial opinion. The secretariat should be so organised by the infusion of actual colonial experience as to command and equally deserve confidence." According to the military correspondent of the Standard, General Botha, Premier of the Transvaal, will submit to the Conference for approval of the Home Government a proposal for the establishment of a voluntary force for defence in the Transvaal,

i MR REID'S OPINION

Received April 23, 10.27 a.m. MELBOURNE, April 23. Mr G. H. Reid, interviewed, said he was glad that Mr Deakin's proposal was modified, so as to leave 4 the arrangements in connection with the Imperial Conference very much as they were. The importance and dignity of future conferences would be augmented considerably by the fact that the British Prime Minister would be ex officio president.

CABLE NEWS.

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright.

PREMIERS NOT UNANIMOUS,

Received April 23, 8.34 a.m. LONDON, April 22. The Times declares that the reason the conference did not go further was that the Premiers were not unanimous. Meanwhile, for the common consultation so necessary to avoid mistakes in Imperial policy, we must look to the ample use of subsidiary conferences. The Libsral newspaper Tribune predicts that the common business of the Empire will be notably facilitated.

Received Apirl 23, 11.32 p.m. LONDON, April 23. The Antwerp Municipality have invited the Premiers to visit Belgium after the Imperial Conference.