"HAPPY RETURNS."

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 8, 9 July 1909, Page 7

"HAPPY RETURNS."

• ftSR. CHAMBERLAIN'S BIRTHDAY. CONGRATULATIONS. IJIOM NEAR AND FAR. (By Telegraph.— Press Absociatiou.— Copyright.) (Received J,uly 9, 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, Bth July. In honour of the birthday of Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, who completes his seventy-third year to-day, meetings organised by the Tariff Reform League are being held in London, and in practically every constituency of the country. Congratulations from Australia and New Zealand have given Mr. Chamberlain great satisfaction. King Edward, in opening the new University buildings, at Birmingham, regretted the enforced absence of Mr. Chamberlain, to whom he paid a high tribute. A GREAT IMPERIALIST. BRITAIN AND THE NATIONS ACROSS THE SEAS. Mr. Chamberlain, it is well known, has been prevented by illness from taking an active part in politics for the last two years, blithe has sufficiently recovered to be able to show that he still retains a keen interest in public affairs. His latest contribution was to the Empire Day issue of the London Times, which assigned to it pride of place, in front of its leading articles. In the course of his letter he wrote : — "This is the day of Empires. As formerly, Austria and Germany became empires when the day of separate kingdoms began to wane, so now it is becoming evident that our great aggregations of humanity are seeking a new bond by which they may follow the same in'torests under the same Hag. At present we have not proceeded further than to talk about defence, but we have only to compare tho situation with that which obtained twenty or thirty years ago to know that a large change has already been accomplished. The position of the nations across the seas is already rccognibed, and all parties aie at one in seeking to unite them with the Mother Country in a. more practical tuiion. This must of necessity commence with defence, but it need not i-est there. I hold that defence and commercial union will probably precede political union, but I do not ignore political union as desirable and probable, although it must necessarily come after the others. I think we have much to gain by such & union, and I do not by any means suppose that it wiH be one-sided, or that the Dominions across the seas have all to learn from us, and we have nothing to learn from them. On the" contrary, we may be sure that as they progress in strength and importance, not a little of the advantage of the union will be what we have to learn as well as what we have to teach. "The recent offer of New Zealand, which, in. my opinion, has bean received somewhat ungraciously by the present Government, is a new featuie with which in future we have (o denl. Have we considered what it amounts to? The latest census shows the population of New Zealand to be a little more than one million, and, according to recent estimates, a single Dreadnought casts two millions sterling ; so that New Zealand voluntarily offers to maintain the .standard of supremacy of the British race by a contribution of £2 a head, equal to some £80,000,000, if translated by the corresponding population of this country.' Such an offer is not only munificent in itself, but it shows clearly the price that our Dominions place on the maintenance of the present standard of naval defence, and its importance to them as well as to us." GREETINGS FROM THE DOMINION. LOCAL BODIES AND PRESS. [BY TELEGRAPH — PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, Bth July. Mr. G. W. Russell, M.P. (chairman of the Canterbury Collego Board of Governors), forwarded the following cable message* to Mrs. Joseph Chamberlain on Wednesday: — "Canterbury University College congratulates you upon the successful Impel ml service* of your husband. — Jlus&cll. " The Canterbury Branch of the Navy League pent the following cablegram: — ''fhts Canterbury Branch (New Zealand) of the Navy League sends congratulations to the great Empire-builder." The Christchurch City Council has foi warded the following cable message to Mrs. Chairherlain •. — "Christchurch* New Zealand, wishes many hajjpy returns of the day to Britain's great colonial statesman." At yesterday's meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour Board it was resolved to send a cablegram to Chamberlain, congratulating her upon the attainment to-day, by her husband (the Right Hon. Joseph Cnamberlain) of his seventy-third birthday. The tallowing cable message, signed by the editors ot forty-six New Zealand newspapers, was sent to Mrs. Chamberlain : "We felicitate the distinguished statesman whose cons-ecration to the Empire has been an inspiration to all, and offer our homage to his. devoted wife." AUCKLAND, Bth July. The Auckland City Council has cabled to Mr. A. M. Myers, the ex-Mayor, who is at present in England, requesting him to convey to Mr. Chamberlain Auckland greetings and congratulations in connection with the birthday celebrations, coupled with kindly remembrances of tho eminent Imperialistic services, and the noteworthy municipal administration rendered by Mr. Chamberlain.