The Dominion. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1910. THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 986, 29 November 1910, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1910. THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

It is unfortunate that the Prime Minister should put off to tho vory end of the session his announcement of tho motions which he proposes should bo advanced by tho New Zealand delegate-at tho Imperial Conference. Thero is no prospect now that the Houso will bo able to givo any useful attention to the long list of motions submitted, not for its judgment, but merely for its inspection. Tho Government, if wo understand it, takes the viow that the New Zealand delegate must be given a free hand, Parliament reserving the right to ratify or reject any agreement provisionally made on behalf of NewZealand. But this doctrine is manifestly unsound, since it debars Parliament from ordering that this shall bo proposed and that that shall not. We shall not go in detail into., the programme that tho Prime Minister has taken it upon himself to draw up—thero will be amplo time for discussion before the Conference meets. There are some points, howover, to which tho attention of the House must bo directed. The principal motion affirms that tho Empire has_ "now reached a stage of Imperial development which renders it expedient" that there should bo an Imperial Council, consisting of representatives from all parts of the Empire, to act as an advisory body in respect of all questions affecting the dependencies, of Britain. Tho words wc have quoted illustrate, very well the way of thinking from which tho Empire has most to fear. What, to begin with, is meant by "Imperial development" used in ■ this context? And why has some special "stage" been "now" reached? Too many people, arguing in' a vaguo and slovenly way from falsa biologi- ' cal analogies, habitually, speak of tho Empire as if.it wero a tomato plant, requiring and different treatment' at various times. Surely tho only consideration ought to bo tho actual needs of tho Empire; but tho actual needß of the Empire rarely get attention from the busybodies who must ba for ever meddling. Tho fact that ovcrybody iq_ talking and writing of tho Empire and its destiny does not in tho least prove that tho Empire is different, in its fundamental" structure or in its needs, from what it was before the South African war. To nut the matter in a concrete way: What "disability exists to make New Zealanders long for even an advisory Council ? What great New Zealand need will such a Council meet? In point of fact, there is no enthusiasm here for such a Council, while most thoughtful people realise that its establishment may be the prelude to a federation liablo to contain the seeds of dissension and even disruption. Thero is not a great deal to object to.in tho motions relating to tho rcconstitution of tho Colonial Office. _ The proposal that the High Commissioners lie placed in contact with the Foreign Ministar,-Jiowevcr, isonen.to serious objection. If the High Commissioners aro ' to • have their functions extended, they should certainly not have their srjhcro extended . into any. other quarter of British government than tho Colonial Office. This proposal will no doubt set people wondering as to who the noxt High Commissioner will be. If,these extended powers aro given, will tho office prove attractive 'enough, to induce Sir Joseph Ward himself to • accept it ? Mr. Hale-Jones's . term of appointment, ib may bo noted, expires in Juno next, and as Parliament will not moot again before that time, it may not be out of place for someone to ask whether he is to bo reappointed. With most of the remainder of the Government's proposals there will bo little disagreement. We cannot discuss them now further than to say that thero is no reas'on to suppose that the "All-Red Route" project is: likely to be taken, up with any greater enthusiasm to-day than when it was approved three years ago and quietly shelved.