The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. SATURDAY. APRIL 3, 1897.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 77, 3 April 1897, Page 4

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

SATURDAY. APRIL 3, 1897.

For tho cause that laefcs asEistarfco, For tho -wrong that naeds resiatanoo, For ths future m the distance, And tho good that tto can do.

MR CHAMBERLAIN AT THE COLONIAL INSTITUTE.

Mr Chamberlain's speech at the annual banquet of the Colonial Institute has the true ring of Imperial patriotism in it, and we believe it is the honest expression of the Colonial Secretary's views and aims. He told the distinguished assembly that the sentiment of kinship was spreading throughout the Empire, that great progress was being made in the promotion of firm union, that Imperial Federation must eventually result as a universal racial desire, and that it would give expression to the dearest wish of the colonists. In conclusion, be declared that his only ambition was to promote closer unity between the colonies and the Mother Country. The speech appears to have been enthusiastically received by those present at the banquet, and the newspapers re-echoed the applause. Read at this remote corner of tbe world, and without the champagne and'other less material accompaniments which no doubt heightened* their effectiveness when delivered at the Colonial Institute, what is the general feeling here with regard to Mr Chamberlain's remarks ? It is one thing for a brilliant Colonial Secretary in an after-dinner speech, when the hearts of his hearers have been warmed by the generous entertainment and social intercourse, to fan the flame of patriotism into something approaching a pyrotechnical display, but unless the sacred fire burns strongly and with no fitful light far beyond the. charmed circle of his immediate auditors the value of his words may be comparatively trifling.

We believe we are right in saying, however, that the sentiments expressed by Mr Chamberlain do awake an answering chord throughout the whole Empire. Although it is perfectly true that the colonists, especially the younger generation, do not always display that fervid attachment to the Old Country which those coming from Home expect to find; although they very-often show.a cold indifference to the proposals for Federation which hardly bears out Mr Chamberlain's remark that such a union as he contemplates would give expression to the dearest wish of colonists, yet we believe that deep rooted in the hearts of the people there is the instinct and sentiment in favour ot Imperial Federation. Its presence, we confess, is olten difficult to detect, but let some common danger, threaten the Empire and it will stimulate to luxuriant growth of the feeling which now lies dormant like seed hidden in the earth.

Mr Chamberlain came into office impressed, as no one holding his position ever was before, with the vital necessity that existed for a closer union of all parts of the Empire. He saw clearly that already the work had been too long delayed by statesmen who had not been able to foresee the future wealth and power of the colonies, statesmen who it is to be feared rather regarded the colonies as a hindrance to

the Mother Country, and fully, anticipated that the evolution of the colonial system must be in the direction of segregation. The phenomena of the natural world and the past history of | mankind supplied them with analogies in support of their views. We were reminded of how the bees do when their community becomes overcrowded, and of what had happened in the history of the colonies of antiquity and in that of the United States. Nor was this view confined to the people of Great Britain and its statesmen. It existed probably as strongly in the colonies, and yet survives here, where until lately it was often in the habit of cropping up. With Mr Chamberlain's advent to the Colonial Office it received its most effectual check, for the new Minister did not content himself with merely talking Imperial Federation, but. set about to make a beginning of the thing itself. Up to the present he bas not met with unqualified success in his efforts. His endeavours for a closer commercial union between the colonies and Great Britain have been in the face of many obstacles, aad no little indifference. But this fact, instead of discouraging him, has the more deeply convinced him of theNmmediate need for actiou. The difficulties which stand in the way of the union of commercial interests which he favours will not grow more easy of solution as lime goe3 on and the colonies become more, fixed in their independent grooves of action, nor will the sentimental factors gather strength from delay. Everything points to the present time as the time to take vigorous steps for the amalgamation of the Empire into one strong whole, and to get rid of all elements of difference and divergence which are elements of weakness. The Colonial Secretary has fallen on most auspicious days for the successlul carrying out of his ideal. This year the patriotism of the colonies has been appealed to by a circumstance and in a way that may never occur again, and certainly cannot occur for maoy years to come. Not only will the Record Reign celebrations be a

tesiimony of an empire's loyalty to its sovereign, but from that community of devotion to her who has so long and so nobly filled the throne there must spring a deeper community of devation to the Empire itself. Mr Chamberlain has arranged that the representatives of the different colonies should meet with bim after the celebrations and discuss the affairs of the. Empire. The time, as we once pointed out, could not have been more happily chosen. Then the enthusiasm and patriotism of the Empire will be at white heat, and this will be the moment for the master craftsman to swing his weldiDg hammer with a vengeance.