DOMINIONS' REPRESENTATION

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 42, 17 August 1918, Page 7

DOMINIONS' REPRESENTATION

PERMANENT MINISTERS TO BE

APPOINTED

SIR JOSEPH WARD MENTIONED.

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.)

(PUBLISHED IN TIIE TIMES.)

(Received August 17, 8.30 a.m.)

LONDON, 16th August.

The Imperial "War Cabinet has been considering the question of providing for the continuity of deliberations by direct communication with the British Dominions' representatives all the year round. Though the representatives now meet yearly, the system suffers owing to the intervals between the annual meetings. It lias now been decided that the Dominions shall each have a Minister permanently stationed in London. The Imperial War Cabinet will meet periodically, though not so frequently, with these Ministers as members, thus ensuring real continuity of the Imperial Cabinet's work as the Empire's supremo executive authority, and providing a steady channel of -communication for information between the British War Cabinet and the Governments ■of the Dominions. Canada already has a permanent Minister in London. Senator Pearce and Sir Joseph Ward are considered likely to be chosen to represent Australia and New Zealand.

The Times points out that the new positions will bestow largely increased responsibilities and more frequent opportunities to represent the Dominions' views. The innovation is hardly of Constitutional importance, but rather a means to an end than the end itself, and cannot be the final solution of an Empire Government. The Permanent Ministers will not in practice have the same authority and power as Dominion Prime Ministers. The latter will probably find it necessary to come to London periodically and attend Cabinet, but the Ministers staticjfcsd here will keep in personal touch with events.