THE IMPERIAL DELEGATES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10251, 30 May 1911, Page 3

THE IMPERIAL DELEGATES.

JUNKETTED IN LONDON

VARIOUS CRITICISMS

United Press Association—By Electrn Telegraph—Copyright.

(Received May 29, 9.27 a.m.)

LONDON, May 28

TJio Ladies' Empire Club banquetted tho wives of the delegates to the Conference. Among those present were the Duchess of Connaught and Princess Patricia, and Ladies Emersey, Denman, Northcote, and Carrington and Mrs Joseph Chamberlain. At the luncheon at the Eighty Club, Mr Fisher said that the more Australia was allowed to manage her own affairs in every department of Governmen life, tho more attached did the people become to the Mother Country and tho British Crown. It was freedom that made for safety. Referring to Mr Lloyd-George's reference to the Dominions' social legislation, he declared that Australia had not ended their experiments if some of them could help it. They were only beginning because they regarded economic ideals as being quite as sacred as political liberty. Britain's system of overseas government would not e»d with the present Dominions. Foreign statesmen were deeply interested therein. One recently declared that he looked forward to a British system encircling other nations, who desired a federation of tho peoples of the world. This was something to be proud of. Mr Botha, speaking in Dutch, regretted that Sir Henry CampbellBannerman had not lived, to see the I fruits of his South African policy. The Economist says that the project of an Imperial Defence Fund, controlled by Imperial representatives, is dissolving in the light of facts and criticisims. As Sir Wilfrid Laurier refuses to allow Canada to be drawn into the vortex of European militar-, ism, as Admiral Henderson's report is! causing trouble in Australia, while South Africa is glad to receive a dole of a million a year for the support of, the British garrison, the tendency of I tho large colonies is to regard the British navy with complacency, and for the dominions to allow Britain to pile up armaments as she pleases, while taking care that any small colonial contributions are spent locally. !, MR MURRAY CORRECTED. (Received May 2?.'9.40 a.m.) ' MELBOURNE, May 29. Mr Hughes states that the Victorian Premier's recent statement in London, that Australia would accept the principle of Imperial preference insofar as it did not injure herself, did not err outside of rashness or generosity. His views did not represent the views of' the Federal Government. The extension of preference would have to be carefully considered. The whole thing would have to he based on some businesslike scientific svstem. i