IMPERIAL DEFENCE DOMINIONS' REPRESENTATION

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 48, 26 February 1913, Page 4

IMPERIAL DEFENCE DOMINIONS' REPRESENTATION

THE OFFICIAL INVITATION. A Parliamentary White Paper containing a despatch from the Secretary of State for tho Colonies as to the representation of the self-governing Dominions on the Committee of Imperial Defence has been published (says the London Times). The despatch is addressed to the Governor-General of Australia ; the Governor-General of the Union of South Africa ; and the Governors of New Zealand and Newfoundland. It reads as follows: — Downing-sti'eet, 10th December, 1912. I am forwarding by post, for the confidential information of your Ministers, a record of the proceedings at the Committee of Imperial Defence on 30th May. 1911 (during the Imperial Conference) and on l«t August, 1912 (dtti 1 ' ing the visit of the Canadian Ministers to London). This record deals solely with the question of tho representation of the Dominions on the Committee of Imperial Defence. [Omitted to New Zealand. Your Ministers, who were present on the first Occasion, will remember that] t*he matter arose out tof a resolution by Sir Josfeph Ward on the Agenda of the Imperial Conference, . asking that the ' High Commiß^ioners of the Dominions should be summoned to the Committee of Imperial Defence when rtavaj And military matters -afiecting the Oversea Dominions were under consideration. The unanimous view of all those present oft 30th • May, 1911,\ was that the representation of, the Dominions should be not by the High Commissioner but by Ministers who would be responsible to their own 'colleagues and Parliament, and at the same time it Was decided that a Defence Committee should be established yn each Dominion which would be kept in close touch with the Committee of imperial Defence' at Home. The resolutions ultimately put forward by His Majesty's Government and accepted unanimously by the members of the Imperial Conference at the Committee of Imperial Defence were as follows: — _ (1) That _ one 'or more representatives, appointed by the respective Governments of the Dominions, should bo invited to attend meetings of the Committee of Imperial Defence when questions of naval and military dc* fence affecting the Oversea Dominions are under consideration. (2) The proposal that a Defence Committee should be established in each Dominion is accepted in principle. The constitution of these Defence Committees is a matter for each Dominion to decide. The Canadian Government having changed in the autumn of 1911 it wais necessary, when Mr. Borden and his colleague*, visited England this summer, to put these proposals before them, as they were of course unaware of the ptevioue Srocedings. Subject to consultation with is colleagues in Canada, Mr. Bordon provisionally accepted the resolutions as passed, and stated that he saW no difficulty in one of hk Ministers, either with ot without portfolio, spending eoihe months of every year in London, in. order to carry out this intention. Mr. Aeqnith and 1 had, subsequently, several private conversations With him, at which he expressed the desire that Canadian and other Dominions' Ministers who might be in London as members of the Committee of Imperial -Defence should receive, in confidence,* knowledge of the policy and proceedings of the Imperials Government in foreign and ofchel* attairs. 5 We pointed out to him that the Committee of Imperial Defence is .a purely advisory body and is not, and cannot under any circumstances become, a body deciding on policy, which is and must remain the sole prerogative of the Cabij net. (Hibject to the support of the House of Common*. But, at. the same time, we assured him that any Dominions' Minister resident here would at all times have free and full access to the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, and the Colonial Secretary for information on all questions of Imperial policy. In a public speech which I made a short time ago I used the following words :: — > ' There is, oh tho part ot Canadian Ministers and people, a natural and laudable deeire ?or a greater measure of consultation , and cooperation With us in the future than they have had in the past. This is not intended to, and it Heed not, open up those difficult problems of Imperial^ Federation which, seeniing to entail questions of taxation and representation, have made that faohcy for many yeans & dead issue. But, speaking lor myself, 1_ tee no ; obstacle, and certainly no J objection, to tho Governments of all' the Dominions being given at once U larger chare in the executive direction in ma-tters of defence and in personal consultation and co-op-eralioh with individual British Ministers whose duty it is to frame policy here. I should welcome a, more continuous representation of Dominions' Ministers, if they wish it, upon the Committee of Imperial Defence; wo should all be glad ii si member or members of those Cabinets could be annually in London. The door of fellowship and friendship i 6 always open to them, and we Tequire no formalities of an Imperial Conference for the continuity ol Km- ■ penal confidence. The foregoing accurately represents I the views and intentions of His Majesty's Government. From Mr. Borden s ".public speech in , introducing tho Canadian Naval Bill, it, appears that he accepts the proposals Which we have made. The same offer is, | of course, open to all the other self-gov-erning Dominions if and when they wish to adopt it, but the proposal is not ona of necessary or strict unitormity and can be varied in the case of each or any Dominion to suit their wishes or the Special circumstances of their case. I ( should be glad to know, at their convenience, whether your Ministers desire to adopt some such method of more continuous connexion in naval and military affairs with the Committee of Imperial Defence in the United Kingdom. I have, etc., L. HARCOURT. JN'ote- — This deßpatch was telepraphed on 10th December, 1912, with the following addition: — His Majesty's Government propose to publish this despatch here in a short time, and you Will be informed of date when publication will take place. , The White Paper also gives a telegram sent on 10th December last from Mr. Harcourt to the Governor- Gonoral of Canada, which reads: — Please inform, your Prime' Minister that I have addressed following despatch by telegraph to Australia, New Zealand. South Africa, and Newfoundland, and have informed them that His Majesty's Government pilose to publish d j>atch here within a short time and that date when publication will take place will be duly communicated.