THE COLONIAL INSTITUTE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 23, 28 January 1891, Page 5

THE COLONIAL INSTITUTE.

SPEECH BY LORD CAR-

RINGTON.

London, January 27.

There was a large attendance at the Colonial Institute to-day to hear Lord Carrington read his paper on Australia. Among those present were the Prince of Wales, who presided, Lord Granville, and Lord Knutsford.

Lord Carrington said Imperial Federation was a beautiful and suggestive proposal, but there were many difficulties in the way. It would be better to draw the colonies to England with cords of love, leaving them to their own ways. The old system of interference in internal affairs should cease. The spirit of nationalism was strongly increasing, and the movement was influenced by pressure from without, by the policy of Great Britain, and by the varying independent action of the colonies. The Chinese and New Guinea questions were specially mentioned. He expressed a hope that Sir H. Parkes would preside at the coming Federal Convention. His courage, eloquence, and statesmanship showed he was a man born to shape the destinies of a growing country. Nationalism need not impair the loyalty of colonies. Once Australian Federation was completed England would have an easy task to influence national feeling in her favour. The colonials knew England would regard the invasion of Australia asshe would the landing of a foreign army in Kent. To enable colonists to feel they belonged to a British community, colonial judges ought to be appointed on the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. Chief Justices ought to receive life peerages. The title of honorable ought to be recognised everywhere, and due precedence allotted to governors, bishops, and judges. Statesmen should be Privy Councillors. The order of St. Michael and St. George ought not to become a foreign legion with a colonial division. He advised reciprocity between the English and colonial bars, and the extension of facilities for the investment of trust funds. The debt of New South Wales was small compared with the vast wealth of the colony. Many private railway companies in England had less mileage than New South Wales with larger capital and a greater amount of indebtedness than Australia. He mentioned the Soudan Contingent and the assistance rendered to the dockers as instances of the impulsive interference of the colonists with the struggles of the Empire. LORD KNUTSFORD AND THE PRINCE SPEAK. London, January 27. Lord Knutsford proposed a vote of thanks to the Prince of Wales for presiding. He agreed with all the paper had said except the undue prominence given to the Brisbane " Courier's" criticism on what was termed " the crass incapacity of the Colonial Office." He dwelt on the ceaseless sympathy and interest shown by the Prince in the colonies.

Lord Granville seconded the vote of thanks.

The Prince of Wales said he was glad to welcome the friend of a lifetime after a successful administration. The paper Lord Carrington had read was most interesting. Though the colonies wished to be free and independent, he was glad to see they remembered whence they came, and also that their interests were the same as Britain's. The "Times" says that Lord Carrington's expedients are no more tangible than Imperial Federation, and that colonists are too reasonable, it declares, to exhibit an undignified ultrasensitiveness. Britain has no time to make a fuss over trivialities.