ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 79, 3 April 1911, Page 9

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

(Jfrom 0«r fptclal Corr««iponeeetT ; LONDOK, February 24 ? IMPEBIAL AXBLES3.CS. Jn order that the best amateurs of this .should have an opportunity of meeting each 'other during the Coronation festivities, the council of the Eeatival ol Empire, to ,be held at the Crystal Palace, haye decided to organise an Imperial sporta jneoting, the prOgraxopie to include athletiae, boxing, swimming, tennie, and wreetling, the idea being that the beat manhood of the JEinpitß, Australasia (whieb includes New Zealand)! Africa, Canada, and Great Britain,/shall meet in a selected number of scratch events, aa follows: Athletics—J.oo, 220, and 880 yards, one mile, and hurdles; swimming —100 yards and one ' mile; tennis— singles; wrestling—catch-ac-catch-can, middle-weights; hoxing—heavy^waighta. In each event mentioned-each part of the Empire named is to have one sentative,' and' the' result of thie' fourcornered contest is to be decided on points. Xhe competitions are to commence on June 24, and be completed on July 1. A committee has been-formed, with the Bight Bon. Lord Desborough as president. "

SWISS WANT FROZEN MEAT. The news that in consequence of the dearness of food in Swityrland, the Government, alter prolonged > deliberation, has consented to the importation of frozen meat from overseas, is of considerable importance to Australia and New Zealand. Dr Buergi, the expert, sent some time, ago to London, warmly recommended the importation. The duty will be 25 francs per 1,00 kilo, grams, which laier will probably be reduced to 10 francs. At the-higher rate the duty is something over Id per lb., but even after meeting such o> charge colonial mutton could be sold at a price much lower than that which- muat now be paid for meat of similar quality in Switzerland. .

THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. The "Morning Post" considers that the absence of any resolution dealing with preferential trade from the agenda paper of the Imperial Conference, is due to the overseas dominions having lost the courage to bring up again a subject on which the British Government is so unsympathetic. It is, however, quite possible to discuss preferential trade on the resolution tabled by the Commonwealth Government advocating closer commercial relations within- the Empire. Mr. Harlod Bpender,- writing in the "Morning LeadeT," considers' that the most important resolution.to be moved at the conference is undoubtedly that of New Zealand asking for representation of the Dominion in an Imperial Council of State at the centre of the Empire. "The bearing of this on Home Rule for Ireland," he says, "ie obvious. Xt suggests a framework into which Ireland might fit, taking her place side by side with the representatives of Great Britain and the Dominions. We have here a possible solution of the difficulty of the Irish representation at Westminster—the one remaining crux of Home Rule." This resolution undoubtedly oilers most interesting possibilities, and it is not improbable that all the Dominions might concur in advocating, the creation of such a council, provided that its function" were purely advisory, and had no binding force upon the oversea nations, without endorsement by their own" Parliaments. The feeling for full self-government is much too strong to admit of the final right of decision being handed over to any council or other body, upon which the representatives of any particular Dominion would necessarily be in a small minority.

CROWDED OUT AT GLASGOW. New Zealand will not, after all, be an exhibitor at the Glasgow Exhibition this summer. The High Commissioner received word from the Glasgow Exhibition authorities this week that 'New Zealand's application for apace has had to be declined, as it was made too late. All the available space had already been booked.