THE CORONATION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 948, 15 October 1910, Page 6

THE CORONATION.

OUR SHARE IN IT. STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER. HOME TROOPS OUT HERE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Ghristchurch, October 14. "I cannot say very much about that," remarked the Prime Minister to-day, in answer to a question relative.to the King's coronation, put by a newspaper representative.. "The date upon which the ceremony ,is to tako place, and . the date of tho meeting of the Imperial Conference, have not been definitely fixed, and both matters aTo at present the subject of communications between the Home and the Dominion authorities, with the object, in the case of the conference, of. ascertaining the period that will be most suitable to the representatives of the oversea British Dominions. imperial Conference. — "In all likelihood the conference, will open six weeks or a month before : the date of the coronation; I think, in any case, that the: representative' of New Zealand will leave for the .Old Country some time in' March next" I propose to lay on the table of the House,next week a, list of subjects which: I . have sent Home, and which, I think, should be brought up': for discussion. Necessarily I cannot give any details .because it is due to the House that its members should get the information first." Sending Territorials Home. Asked if the Government intended, sending Home . representatives f of;, the 'defence forces of the,. Dominion, to; be present at the coronation, as was done at. the 'coronation , of- the, late King, Sir Joseph , said that -the matter; had not. . yet been considered by Cabinet. There •'was', a desire,v in.''different parts of thecountry, that a number of men should go Home at their own expense, aiid that desire had been conveyed, to. him, and: also information that up to' 300 men were prepared to go under, the conditions mentioned.' /. •"That such a voluntary request should be made shows,a fine feeling of patriotism and loyalty," continued Sir Joseph,and certainly creates a new ■ aspect of Imperial concerns, at this moment. ~I prepared to say whether it would bo fair to accept , individual sacrifice of this kind, ana until the 'matteris fully . considered; I 'cannot, 'of course, say--.whether-.the' proposal will: bo accepted, but later on, I, hope, to be able to make a public statement on the subject. \ Getting Imperial troops' Out. "Ithink. ;it., would-b'e a good, thing ifthe Imperial 1 Government sent - out a: company of ; British troops-'to be present in the Dominion'• at the time of the. Coronation,': seeing that the - .Old : Land and the Dominion: are being educated in matters of defence, on similar lines.. The advantage - of, having' ah' up-to-date company 'of -' British troops' in- New. Zealand on the occasion of an epoch-making event in the history .'of the Empire'would at least show a mutuality, of feeling, and would be indi-' cative of. the general , : interest;-, in defence organisation- that,,; from' 1 a : practical (Standpoint, would'have a'- good effect. •• We are so far from tho Old Land that New -Zealand officers and; men have practically ' no opportunity of comparing notes or of receiving valuable: information—an opportunity that would bo given them if such a -body of .'men as I suggest were sent:to the Do-, minion. A • previous visit ■ traha representatives of , Imperial land -forces; was very helpful to tho officers and men of the: New Zealand forces—a fact; - ''of which I 'have had much confirmatory evidence from New Zealand officers and men anterestedinthe Dominion having 'tho best system of defence-on lines re-'cently.'authorised-by Parliament: '

V;'''ln, -addition to the presence of British. tfoops I also hope, tliat, there will :be, thi;ee .British warships in- New Zea-. land waters ,at Coronation time.; I am •not: suggesting these matters,fromjOther. than ; the . practical : standpoint. , The people of New Zealand are loyal to the ,oore, !; arid I' am s ''certain that; they are anxious to . have the'.Coronation of, the King celebrated in a fitting mariner. This %vill, ''I am quite": certain, : be'done, as far as the people' of New Zealand are. concerned,', but 'it woiild add to the effectiveness of the celebrations '• from aii Imperial standpoint' if {we had pre- 1 sent in the Dominion 1 " representatives of both the sea■ and land forces 'of the Empire." - ■ ■■ A NOVEL.PROPOSAL. ; There is a-good deal of speculation in the 'lobbies-of.-'thei House- of. Repre-:i sentatives as to : how: : the 'Dominion should, be represented' at the. Coronation celebrations-in June next. From Home ■has come the suggestion that the Ministers .'for Agriculture in the various overseas Dominions should .be invited to.visit the.Old,Country at the sairie, time.; Iu this connection it'may be noted that; the Hon. T. 'Mackenzie, is. not at present ablo to say whether or not he could accept such .an invitation; • A. further, proposition is afoot ; that' eight membors-' of the! New 'Zealand Legislature should , also 'be . selected to; represent the Dominion at the Coronation. ' It : is that'i&is . invitation lias also emanated' from the; Home .Government. According. s to ' a'.. large. number ,of members' the acceptance of ;tho latter invitation, is, for several reasons quite out of the question!,By'some legislators' the proposal is condemned on the score of expense alone, for it is ifelt' that .the: British Government would defray, only the cost of entertaining the New Zealand; representatives at Home.- - : What.- is regarded. as a 'still stronger, objection is the fact that if eight-, members :as well as the. Prime Minister., and the Minister for Agriculture were to be appointed to represent the Dominion- at. • the . celebrations, it would , afford an excuse for interfering with, the holding of. the session, next year. ,In view or the fact that'a general' election falls due next, year, it, is doubtful also whether some of the members who are best qualified to be selected would feel inclined to make the trip. Notwithstanding the " objections : that are being , put forth, it. is considered by some members that it would be only right for the Dominion to be represented sis has been suggested. If;the, proposal be adopted, there is, however, bound to be a lot of dissatisfaction in regard to the selection of the representatives. , The Upper House-would be certain to be represented as well as the Lower ,House, but whether equal representation would be allowed would have to be decided. In any. event,- the Speaker .of the Legislative Council (the Hon. C. C, Bowen) and Dr. Findlay (Leader of the Council); could not be overlooked. It. was probably the proposition in question which gave, rise to the recent rumour , that'tho Att«r?iey-I General intended, to-pay a visit Home shortly.; Among members of the House', the Speaker (the Hon. A. It. Guinness) and Mr. Massey (Leader of the Opposition) would be among the first .to tn selected. That,woulcFmean that there worild.be four other members,to- be decided upon. By. some , members it is thought thixt selection should bo on a territorial basis. If such a method were adopted, however, it'would probably, be found that the difficulty in giving satisfaction in the matter .of selections would kill the proposal. From what can be gathered, the proposition will not be adopted if there is much disapproval, and in view of tho protest that was made against postponing the session'last year this is bound to be the case. It is not yet known whether it is intended to j send a contingent of troops to the cele-! biatio&s. ,■ J