INTERVIEWED AT HOBART.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXI, Issue 8452, 21 August 1911, Page 5

INTERVIEWED AT HOBART.

AVORK OF THE CONFERENCE

Per Press Association —Copyright.

I HOBART, August 20. Sir Joseph Ward arrived yesterday from London by the Ruapehu. He stated in an interview that he agreed with Mr Asquith that the results' of the Imperial Conference, both in -quantity and general benefit to the Empire, were of the most solid and enduring kind, firstly, as regards matters touching the internal relations of the Empire, and secondly as regards matters touching international relations. Chief among the former were the undertaking of the Imperial authorities that hereafter no international agreement would be entered into which affected the oversea Dominions, without conference or consultation with the Dominions affected. This would obviate a good deal of heart-burning, such as had in the past been occasioned by the Imperial Government completing agreements, vitally affecting the oversea Dominions without reference to these Dominions. The prevailing practice on the part of the Home Government now was to strictly limit all its international treaties to the United Kingdom, unless the oversea Domin-^ ions desired to be included, and the undertaking on the part of the British Government to obtain release from existing commercial treaties of any Dominions desiring such freedom, was a concession to the autonomy of all the self-governing countries of the Empire.

Imperial Court of Appeal.

" During the discussion on the proposed creation of a final Imperial Court of Appeal, Mr Asquith admitted that the Dominions had well-founded reasons for complaint. The Imperial.Government has now undertaken, at the instance of resolutions submitted by . me, to alter the constitution and procedure, of the existing Court of Appeal for the oversea > Empire. 'There will be two divisions. One will have appeals from the United' Kingdom, and the other from the oversea Dominions. The Privy Council is to be strengthened by the addition of two of the ablest English judges, and the procedure is to be assimilated to that of the House of Lords. j ' Naturalisation. "Another long stride towards 'Imperial unity was the agreement arrived at unanimously in respect to Im T perial naturalisation. In the past the most striking anomalies have existed. Those naturalised in New Zealand or in Canada, for instance, while British subjects within these Dominions, were aliens in any other part of the Empire. The utmost diversity "prevailed*between the Dominions." Imperial Union. Passing to what was admittedly tho most important subject brought before the Conference, his motion in favour of a representative Imperial Council, Sir Joseph Ward said:—"lt is significant of the extent to which the people of the United Kingdom desire closer i Imperial unity j "that over three hun- ; dred members of the House of . Commons, representative not of one party, ■:' but of all parties, memorialised Mr Asquith to promote closer association of the oversea Dominions with the Imperial Government in the control of great Imperial interests, particularly , defence, and to do this by means of a council really, representative of all ■ parts of the Empire. This memorial ' was in consequence of the resolution '■ tabled by myself for discussion at the - Conference, and I am entitled to quote this as an answer to those who suggest that the introduction of the subject was somewhat gratuitous, and without the widespread and fervent support of : the people of the Motherland. In sub- , : mitting the motion I never contemplated the possibility of its being agreed to } as establishing an organised system. It ] only sought the affirmation of a princi- < pie, and as a matter of fact the princi- '■) pie underlying the motion was-affirmed. '■: Mr Asquith declared on the- part of .< the -British Government, that it was ; in fullest sympathy with any practical : means for bringng the oversea Do- ; minions into closer union with the , Motherland, and the sentiment was re- i peated by the various oversea repre- ; sentatives—-notably General Botha. Imperial Defence. "The subsequent discussions upon Imperial, defence, which owing to the necessity for sebrecy I cannot disclose, satisfy me beyond a doubt that effective Imperial co-operation for the defence of the Empire cannot be secured without,the adoption in some of the principle of Imperial unity I advocated. It is generally recognised that while there may be several navies within the Empire, there cannot for effective purposes of Imperial defence be more" than one Imperial navaldefence policy. Recogni sing that the best result of one policy is one great Empire Navy, I have always advocated .as New Zealand' s : .contribution to the Navy, a money grant, on comb- ' tion that the ocean highways should be fully safeguarded as well as the shores of the different Dominions. The Trade Commission. "The decision of the Imperial Conference to appoint an Imperial Commission with representatives on it from the Motherland and the oversea Dominions, is a very valuable and important one. Such a Commission, rl ■ men of wide experience and knowledge are appointed, musVbe able to obtain evidence that will enable all concerned s to improve trade relationships existing

throughout the Empire. Necessarily such a Commission cannot interfere with the fiscal policy of any portion of the Empire, but with the ever-increas-ing efforts to secure trade by competing with foreign countries, it is all important that nothing should be left undone by the respective British countries to improve the conditions of the vast and increasing trade between themselves.

" Summed up, all must agree with Mr Asquith that the results of the recent Conference have been very-solid and practical, and that none of these could have been obtained rapidly or effectively except by moans of the discussion which took place, and the, decisions arrived at by the Conference in London."

Britain in the Pacific.

Sir Joseph Ward's attention was drawn to the endeavours Mr Fisher made while in London to have the British possessions in ,the Pacific placed under Australian control. He would make no statement, preferring to preserve a neutral attitude.

When twenty days out" from Marseilles Sir Joseph Ward received a wireless message as to the rumour of handing over Tahiti to Germany in connection with the Morocco trouble, and he telegraphed to Mr Lewis Harcourt, the Colonial Secretary;, emphatically protesting against this, contending that it would be against the best interests of the British community in the Pacific. He was glad to hear the rumour was not true.

(Received August 21, 10 a.m.).

HOBART, August 21. The Ruape.hu, with Sir Joseph Ward on board, resumed her voyage to-day.