POTENT FOR UNITY. THE FEDERATION BOND.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 104, 29 October 1909, Page 7

POTENT FOR UNITY. THE FEDERATION BOND.

A NEW CONSTITUTION. REQUIRED FOR THE BRITISH EMPIRE. By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright. OTTAWA, 28th October. At Montreal yesterday the Prime Minister, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, gave a brilliant address upon the British Constitution, He declared it was more democratic, elastic, and responsive to the public needs than the American Constitution. One point, however, in which America was superior was that it was a federated union, whereas the British was a legislative union. Experience had shown that federation was the most potent instrument for unity, despite ethnological and geographical divisions. It was astonishing, said Sir Wilfrid, that William Ewart Gladstone did not hit on the federated principle as a remedy for the Irish question. The British Parliament was now overloaded with petty details. Perhaps at some future time the federated principle would be applied to England, Scotland, and Ireland, and a new Constitution drafted for the whole of the British Empire. THE TRUE EMPIRE SPIRIT. A MARVELLOUS DEVELOPMENT. AN AGENT-GENERAL ENTERTAINED. (Received October 29, 8.5 a.m.) LONDON, 28th October. The Earl of Jersey, formerly Governor of New South Wales, presided at a lunch given by London bankers and merchants to the Hon. C. H. Rason, whose term of office as West Australian Agent-General has expired. In proposing the health of the guest, Lord Jersey declared that he thought Britain did not sufficiently reme"mber the great services rendered by the Agents-general in linking the Empire and promoting commerce. Mr. Rason said the most notable feature in public sentiment during his term of office was the marvellous development of the true Empire spirit, not only in England, but throughout the colonies, which were now showing by practical methods their anxiejy to help to bear the burdens of the Old Country.