BANQUETED BY MINISTERS. MR. ASQUITH'S TRIBUTE TO THE PRESS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 139, 14 June 1909, Page 7

BANQUETED BY MINISTERS. MR. ASQUITH'S TRIBUTE TO THE PRESS.

."A MIRROR OF PUBLIC OPINION." LONDON, 12th June. Lord Crewe, 'Secretary of State for the Colonies, presided at a .Ministers' banquet given to the Imperial Press delegates at the Graf ton Galleries. 'Many leading men were present, among them being Lord Alverstone, Lord Stratheona, Lord Northcote, tho Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Bishop of London. In proposing the toast ,of "Our Guest-s," the Prime Minister, Mr. Asquith, referred to the duty of the press to promote in its highest forms and with the most woithy purposes, the spirit of Imperial unity. Tho press was the only authentic mirror of public opinion, and the inot>t> trustworthy auxiliary of every good "Government.. Nothing had been more noteworthy in the speeches last week than that statesmen of all parties had spoken with identity of sense, almost of expression, upon matters of Imperial concern. COLONIAL VIEWS OF IMPERIAL PROBLEMS. •Mr. 'E. S. Cunningham, editor of the Melbourne Argus, responded. He thanked Ministers for their magnificent entertainment, and for their many marks of consideration. The delegates claimed no credit for tho surprising results of the conference at Home and abroad. Theso were due to those statesmen who proclaimed with united voice the aspirations of tho Dominions of 'Empire. This was the more noticeable because the heads of both political parties agreed upon the greatest of Imperial problems. The time had gone when the British people overseas were expected to announce their loyalty to Britain. To-day there was reciprocal loy&lty in every part of the Empire. The development of the Imperial idea must proceed slowly. Remote, parts of the Empire would not be hastened. It would have to grow, and was growing. The wisest statesmanship would guide the Imperial barqUe to the centre of the stream, not force it over the rapids. i Young countries, like young men, | thought not as their elders, said the speaker. They asked that their spirit of ] independence might be treated patiently. There was still a lingering feeling in Australia that 'Britain desired to control Australia's destinies. It was a legacy from stormy times, buo was gradually disappearing. Lord Rosebevy had told the delegates, in one of the greatest speeches ever heard, that there was a hush over Europe betokening a possible •cataclysm. Since then there had been the cry of a united people, uttering one word—' '■Empire. ' ' J MATTER 'BEYOND DISCUSSION. •Mr. George Fenwick, editor of the Otago Daily Times, New Zealand, also responded. 'He soid he came to England expecting that the All-Red cable would be the principal subject of deliberations. This had given place to a greater question, the -unity and dtefence of the 'Empire. All the delegates were struck by the earnestness leading to 'that question. It had been declared on the Continent that speeches at the conference savoured of panic. Could anyone present imagine such a thing? The speeches were the logical outcome of tho devotion, of statesmen who had been considering Imperial problems for years. The conference was animated not by panic, or even, alarm, but by a quiet resoluteness. The unity of the Empire was beyond discussion. The Home Government was in accord with the dependencies. All knew there was no -chance of severance. A French-Canadian delegate also responded