IMPERIAL UNITY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1029, 19 January 1911, Page 4

IMPERIAL UNITY.

FEDERATION OF THE EMPIRE. AN INTERESTING ADDRESS. , (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Balclutha, January 18. Mr. A. S. Malcolm, M.P. (Clutha), gavd an address in Balclutha on the subject of Imperial unity. The chair was taken by Mr. John Dunne, Mayor cf Balclutha.

Mr.- Malcolm said Imperial federation would be of advantage to New Zealand; In fact, it was necessary to secure her continued prosperity. In 1909 we exported JC20,000,000 worth of .New Zealand produets, and of that oyer .£1G,000,000 worth went to Great Britain. While wo remained a portion of the British Empire we were certain of a free market in Britain for those products in the future. Britain might possibly levy duties upon foreign products, but she would never do so upon colonial products. More than that, our whole prosperity depended upon those products reaching their markets safely and speedily. Should _ they fail to do so, the farmer, the working man, and the capitalist, would all be faced with ruin. The trade of the different parts of the British Empire with one another was valued at over one million pounds a day. He did not join in the belief expressed by some that Japan would descend on Australia and New Zealand, but he did believe that Germany would attempt to make herself mistress of the, seas. Germany wanted to get some return for the money she was spending on her fleet, and it was colonies she wanted. How was the Empire to be federated? The simplest of ways, and a way in keeping with the the evolution of the British State, was by forming an Imperial Parliament,; to "which representatives from all the- selfgoverning States of the Empire would be summoned. England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, would all send repriv' sentatives to this great Parliament. It would not rob us of any of the powers and privileges we at present possess. . Nesr Zealand would still keep its own Parliament with its present' legislative and ad- ( ministrative powers, and- if an ImMrial, Federal Parliament were formed, could be granted Home Rule. So couldEngland, Scotland, and Wales, for ■ they would maintain their connection with thff Empire through the Imperial Parliament, whicli then would be a truly Imperial Parliament, ,and not-merely the Parliiiment of the United Kingdom, as it is to-day. . But, said some, we would, then be compelled to join in every war Britain made. ■ Yes, but we would have a say then as to whether there was to be war or not. To-day we had none- For mora than two centuries almost every war Britain had. waged had-bean on account of her colonies, and it would be difficult _to make a- wait that the colonics were not interested in. He had read all he could get on tho question of Imperial federa-, tion,' and the most significant fact was 1 that so.-many writers agreed, in saying that Imperial federation must come in tho) next twenty years or not at all. •: j Mr. Angus MDonald moved: "That this meeting is of opinion that the time'has come for tlie federation of the British Empire under an Imperial Parliament."The Rev. Mr. Currie seconded.the motion, which was carried by acclamation.