PURELY CONSULTATIVE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 524, 3 June 1909, Page 5

PURELY CONSULTATIVE.

WHAT THE NAVAL CONFERENCE REALLY MEANS. NO OCCASION FOR MYSTERY AND RETICENCE. COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT PUBLISHES CORRESPONDENCE. STRIKING CONTRAST WITH MINISTERIAL ATTITUDE HERE. The proposal to hold a Naval and Military Conference between representatives of various parts of tho Empire' in London in July has been surrounded with a halo of mystery ill this country which has caused many pcoplo to take a quite exaggerated view of tho significance of tho occasion; No doubt surprise has beeii experienced at tho fact that other parts of tho oversea dominions havo shown none of tho demonstrations of concern witnessed hero 11s to representation at tho oonforonco. Tho reaßon probably will bo found in the mystery with which tho subject has been surrounded here, whereas clsowhoro full information has been supplied to tho public, 10-day's newspaper files from Australia sup* ply details of tho communications which have passed between the Commonwealth Cabinet and tho Home Government, and also disclose tho curious circumstanco -that the oonfcronco is really the outcome of a decision on the part of the Canadian Government to u to England to confcr with tho Imperial authorities on questions of military and naval defcnco. Tho Home Government apparently soized tho opportunity to convono a general oonforenco. It may bo added that the wholo of tho communications which passed between the Commonwealth Government and the Homo Government on tho subjcct of tho conference wero laid before tho Commonwealth Parliament on Friday last. Tho correspondence from tlio Homo Government is similar to that sent to the New Zealand Government, and which* has been kept from the Public by tho Prime Minister., . Australia's Readiness. The first of tho correspondence shows that on March 22 the Prime Minister of tho Commonwealth telegraphed to tho Governor-Gon-Tj at f Colac (Victoria) that while the attitude of tho Government was that Australia should provido for its own defenco, still, in tho.event of any emergency, tho resources ot tho Commonwealth would bo choorfullv placed at the disposal of tlio Mother, Gountry# On April 29 ,tho Government received a cable lioni the Imperial authorities suggesting the desirability of a conference of representatives sell-governing dominions at the earliest suitable date, to consider dofmito lines of pire P<!ra noral dofenco tho Em- , On. May 4 the Government cabled concurring in tho views of tho Imperial Government, and announcing that it would send a dolega- ' and Mval dXn^ d C0 ' f ° rCnCo 0n mll ' terr

Mosaago from Mr. Asqulth, On May 1 a cable wss- received from tho f kk}' 0 for t' lo Colonies, dated fon \arding a message from tho Impurial 1 nmo Minister.(Mr: Asquith), setting ration carried in tho Canadian House of Commons on March 29 expressing, among other things, tho firm conviction that Whenever need anses Canadian p.eoplo will bo found ready and willing to make any sacrinoo that is required to give to tho Imperial authorities the most loyal, and hearty co-operation in every movement for tho maintenance of tho integrity and honour of tho Empire.

."I understand," tho. Imperial Prime Minister went on. "that ilio Dominion Government proposes that its Ministers ot Deieuco should como -at an early dato to confer with tho Imporial naval and military authorities upon technical matters arising that resolution. His • Majosty s Government havo ako beforo tiiem rocent. patriotio proposals -maclo . by Australia and Now -Zealand* proposals liiost highly appreciated by tho Mother Country, ana demanding very ■ cordial' and careful consideration, botii ns to principle and detail. .1 dc- ?";?> therefore, to commend to you tho following important suggestion, viz;:— That ft conference of representatives of tho self-governing dominions, convened under tho. torms of resolution 1 of the ■ ;conforoiico of 1907, .which provides for such subsidiary conferences, should bo hold in London early in next July, Tho objeot of tho oonfercnoo will bo to diecuss general quostions of naval and military dofenco of the Empire, with special referonco to tho Canadian resolution, and to the proposals from Aus- , tralia and Now Zealand to which I ,havo : referred, I assume that, as tho con- ' aultation will bo generally upon technical or quasi-technical naval and military .matters, that tho. other Governments of ! tho . self-governing • doftiinions will elect to bo represented, as in tho easo of-Canada 1 , by their Minister of . Dofenco, op failing them by some othor member of tho Qovernmont, assisted by on export to advise; but it is entirely [ for tho Government of/Australia to decido tho preoiso form of its rcprcsontsvtiou. Tho conference will bo of a puroly consultative character, and will bo held in privato, and its deliberations will bo assisted by the presence of members''of other expert advisors of- his' Majesty's Government. I am addressing a similar message to other membors' of the Imperial. Conference."

, From Lord Crowe. Tho Secretary of State for tho: Colonics (Lord Crewo) stated: " I am strongly of opinion that an early confidential cxchango of viows between his Majesty's Government and tho Governments of his Majosty's self-govern-ing dominions beyond tho seas : will l>o of tho greatest mutual advantage, and I therefore trust that tho I'rimo Minister and his colleagues will sco their way to adopt tho proposal." ' . The Commonwealth's Acceptance. On May 13 a cable was dispatcbod that tho date of the conference at the end of July would bo acceptable to tho Commonwealth Govornment, and that the names of the re-, presentative3 would bo sent in a few days. Later a message was received expressing the gratification of tho Imperial Government at tno readiness of,tho Federal Government to take paH ill tho conference, and hoping that it would shortly bo possiblo to fix a definite and oonvoniont dato. Sir Joseph ward and the Date, A cable was received from tho SeCrotary of State for tho Colonies that tho Now Zealand Government dosirod earnestly to attend tho conference, but pointing out it was impossible for its Ministers to bo present until the now Parliament had been convened and voted supplies. Tho dato of conference should'consequently be fixed not later than the last week "of July. It was beliovod by tho No\v Zealand Govornment' that tho conrßo proposed by his Majesty's Government was in the best interests of the' Empire, and it expressed tho opinion, which was shared by his Majesty's Govornment, that it would bo a matter for much regret if, through not being able to postpono meeting tho now Parliament, Now Zealand oould not bo represented. His Majesty's Govornment thorefore trusted that it;would v ".-ibis to nrrango for delegates from to attend at. tho end' of July. STATEMENT BY SIR. J. C. WARD. Sir Josoph Ward,, when seen by a Dominion reporter last night, stated that tlic Inst paragraph of tho nbovo did not convey the position correctly, so far as' Now Zealand was concerned. Ho proposed to place tho whole matter boforo Parliament, and tho sequence of the cablegrams must bo road boforo tho position could bo correctly understood. 'l'ho Primo Minister added that ho had liot given out any portion of , a statoinont iiir this subject which was published last evening. Ho could not accopt any responsibility in connection with it, and It- convoyed erroncoui Impression* in eoMrol pa*. J&ffllax*..