THE IMPERIAL DREAM.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10268, 21 June 1911, Page 6

THE IMPERIAL DREAM.

SPEECH BY SIR JOSEPH WARD. AT THE CONSTITUTIONAL CLUB. United Press Association —By Electric i Telegraph-—Copyright. (Received June 20, 8.15 a.m.) LONDON, June 19. Speaking; at the luncheon to the Overseas Prime Ministers at the Constitutional Club, Sir Joseph Ward said that when ho- left New Zealand, though he belonged to a particular party, he represented every part of the Dominion, and while in London he and his colleagues at the Imperial Conference, were not party politicians. . Sir Joseph said that he, too, cherished Mr Balfour's dream with regard to the Empire of the future. He iredognised .that in peace time the Motherland did not require the assistance of the Overseas Dominions, but in time of trouble they'all must stand together. The Dominions" were less dependent than formerly for material assistance upon the Motherland. At the same time there were possibilities of great danger in the years, to come unless they had some system of giving the Dominions a more direct voice in the direction of Imperial concerns. As the outcome of the interchange of views which had taken place at the Imperial Conference, however, some good ought to be achieved. Sir Joseph Ward heartily agreed

with Mr Balfour's statement that there ought to be a great overriding in Imperial affairs. There should be no such thing as party interests. The responsibilities were too great. If they expected to do something for the general good, they must educate their people imperially, and get them to act imperially. From that standpoint, he believed that the visit of men from the Overseas Dominions to the Motherland could not fail to make for the advantage of a common Empire.