THE COLONIES AND THE MOTHER COUNTRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2237, 14 January 1897, Page 55

THE COLONIES AND THE MOTHER COUNTRY.

Lord Brassey, Governor of Victoria, in reply- i ing to the hearty vreloomo and reception I accorded to him at Invercargill s»id : Why ! have you giveu this kind welcome ? It is not on • ! account of any personal claims we have, bat | j because we have come among you in * repre- j Bentativo capacity. We represent the Crown I and the old country, and you feel, I am sure, | towards that old country, tbo land of your fathers, the same regard, pride, and sympathy which was to warmly felt in the old country towards those who had gone out from that distant chore to make new Englands bene&th the Southern Cross. — (Applause.) The fet- ling is mutual, and within my exp?rience it has grown warmer, more sincere, and deeper year by year. It is on that solid toundatiou of mutual regard and affection that the unity of the Empire rests, and must rest, and therefore I believe that the unity* of the Empire will endure. I have no difficulty in fostering loyal sentiment in Victoria and I am certain my colleague, Lord Glasgow, can say the came. Why shonld the Empire be broken up ? What would !be the gaiu on either side ? We would all be i smaller, and would not have that personal j interest in reading the telegrams in the newspapers which inform us of some great deed or act of benevolence or wise influence exercised by the Empire of which we are all members. At the present time we feel that they are the acts or deeds of an Empire of which we ourselves are citizens. What would jbe gained by separation ? The mother country I by a wise polioy has giveu all itß citizens in the ' colonies absolute self-go varument in local matters ; there is no interference wilh local discretion. Long, long ago we had dismissed from our thoughts the idea of taxation, and > were wise in doing that, as we now see what ' has occurred in Cuba and the Philippines in consequence of a contrary policy. The generous polioy that the. mother country haß" adopted towards her daughter States has been a great link binding us together as one great Empire. That would be a mere negative service that has . ' beeo done by the mother oonntry, but she has

done and is doing more for tho colonies. We maintain at great cost a navy, which we are resolved Bhall be a navy of matchleßS power, and then guarantee tbe defence and protection of every part of the Empire againtt every external foe. — (Applause ) You have that protfiotion, aud 1 thiuk you will agree that the fitmucial part of tbe bargain is not unduly onerous to New Zealand or any other colony. Then you have something more than the protection of the navy. You have your birthright as British citizens, aud you you have in that capacity the benefit all over the world of the full organised diplomatic service, and wherever you go you can claim the proteefciou and assistance of the Imperial authority of Great Britain. — (Hear, hear.) But there is another matter. The mother country —I think you will trace it in recent history— has been very solicitous not to enter into any engagements, the demands of which would be injurious to the interests of any part of the Empire. It was said not long ago, and truly said, by a great statesman, Lord Kosebery, that the foreign policy of the mother country was bucoming more and more, and wisely and necessarily so, a colonial policy — that is to say, a policy in which due regard has been paid to the interests of all her daughter Sbntes, and great care has been taken to avoid engaging the daughter Stateß in responsibilities, demands, and risks in which they have no direct interest themselves. And last, bub not; least, of the links which bind ua to the mother country in the macket whioh js open to us there. Tbe old country is valu&bie to you iv that respect, too. There is, in consequence, an enlightened interest involved in the great question of imperial unity. I do not wish to Bay, for one moment, that if there was so sad a consummation a& disruption of the Britisli Empire tbat it would necessarily follow that the mother country would bs closed ns a m&rket ; but Ido a&y that rhe exirtence of constitutioual aud political unity makes an appeal to sympathy on both sides, fcod c?rbainly the mother country would be roost detirous to do nothing, in regard to fiscal policy, which would be injurious to the iufcereftts 'of tlia colonies, or would have any ( ffect iv interrapting the mutual and active relations of trade and coinmnrce to all part* of tbe Empire. These are thought* which necessarily passed tbrough my mind when I received your kind welcome ia a representative capacity. Ia again thanking the mayor for the reception accorded Lady Brauney and myself, 1 desire to express my admiration of all that iv your kind" twfis you hare showu as.