REMOULDING THE CONSTITUTION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 964, 3 November 1910, Page 7

REMOULDING THE CONSTITUTION.

THE BRITISH CRISIS. ANOTHER SECRET CONFERENCE SUGGESTED. IMPERIAL FEDERATION. By Telesraph-Press Aseociation-Copyrteht. (Rec. November 2, 11.5 p.m.) London, November 2. "Pacificus," tlie anonymous correspondent of "Tho Times," who first mado. tho suggestion, subsequently adopted by the party leaders, of a conference on the House of Lords question, is continuing his lotters.

In his latest communication "Pacificus" suggests the holding of a convention . similarly constituted to those held in the.United States, and lately in South Africa in connection with the drafting of tho Union Constitution.

It would be desirable for, this body, which would have to be broadly representative of the main divisions of political opinion, to sit with closed doors and unhampered by outside criticism to formulate a proposal to end the present difficulty. This proposal Parliament would afterwards accept, amend, or reject.

In concluding his letter, "Pacificus" says it has been contended that the introduction ■of federalism into the United Kingdom would make Imperial union harder to achieve. This is untrue, for tho Imperial Parliament alone 13 required to assent .to a scheme of Imperial union

The Dominions, he points out, aro very shy of entering into British discussions, even in matters of defence, because of the confusion of party issues existing. The present Parliamentary system makes it almost 'for the Dominions to support any lino of policy without identifying themselves with ono or other of the British parties.

If tho proposed convention solved the question. of Homo Rulo for Ireland, and the House of Lords problem, it Tvculd create a precedent giving the hope that a similar convention would discover a method, consistant with popular government and national ambitions, for arriving at an understanding between the United Kingdom and the Dominions. OPINION OF "THE TIMES." AUSTRALIAN ALARM ALLEGED.. (Roc. November 2, 9.30 p.m.) London, November 2. "The Times" endorses Mr. L. C. Amery's opinion that Imperial Federation will neither be hindered by genuine devolution nor helped by the formation of a federation in Great Britain. In any oaso Imperial Federation is too far off to be admitted as a factor in tho present domestic calculation. Referring to a cablegram from its Sydney correspondent "Tho Times" adds that it is important to note that tho Australians are already taking alarm at the more discussion of Imperial Federation in connection with a purely British problem. . . CONFERENCE MEETS AGAIN. (Rec. November 2, 11.5 p.m., London, November 2. Another meeting of tho Constitutional Conference was held yesterday,