SIR CHARLES LUCAS’S RETURN

Evening Star, Issue 14225, 26 November 1909, Page 8

SIR CHARLES LUCAS’S RETURN

" PRI Dli OF BRITISH CITIZENSHIP.” [From Our Special Correspondent.] LONDON, October 15. Sir Charles Lucas arrived in England on Saturday night (October 9), on the conclusion ot bis mission to Australia and New Zealand. He returned via Canada. " I have not yet," be said on arrival, “ reported the results of my mission to the Secretary of State, and cannot go into details. I am glad, however, to avail myself of the opportunity to express my deep gratitude for the very kindly welcome Air Pearson and myself received everywhere. The object of the visit was to bring the Colonial Office into closer touch with the British Dominions in -Australasia, and everywhere 1 found the greatest, goodwill, readiness to give information on all subjects, and all possible facilities for gaining useful experience. I was particularly impressed with the readiness to tell ns everything. There was no suggestion of holding anything back; on the contrary, the desire was to show us everything possible. I was greatly struck with the obvious desire of the Governments and the people of the Commonwealth and the Dominion to co-operate with the. Mother Country in matters of common interest, and with the great resource? which will make that cooperation of constantly growing value. All classes of the community appear to he animated by a strong spirit of loyalty to the Crown and race. Everything I found so thoroughly British, with (he expression of a strong feeling of kinship of race. This was so marked. The pride of British citizenship displayed at the Empire Day celebrations I attended showed that it was a really living thing.” Sir Charles Lucas added that potential visits of this kind should be of much use in enabling the Colonial Office to appreciate 1 lie Australasian point of view, and expressed the hope that the tour just concluded might be the forerunner of others which will supplement written correspondence and tend to prevent divergence of opinion, in addition to giving members of the Colonial Office experience of the great courtesy and hospitality extended to visitors front England.