IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 14530, 5 December 1910, Page 7

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

THE COMMONWEALTH REMITS. Mr Hughes, the Acting Prime Minister, in the Federal House, oi' Representatives, outlined the subjects to be submitted by the Government for consideration by the Imperial Conference to be held in London in May next. They are as follow : —Commercial Relations.— That this Conference-, recognising th" importance oi' promoting the fuller development of commercial intercourse within the Empire, strongly urges that ?vcry effort should be made to bring about co-operation in commercial relations ami matters of mutual intercut. Commercial Relations and British Shipping.— That it is advisable, in the interest both of the United Kingdom and of (he British Dominions Ueynnd the Sens, that the efforts in favor" of British •iiauufaclured goods and British shipping •should be supported as far as its practicable. —Navigation Laws. - That it is desirable that the- attention :,i the Governments of the United Kingdom and of the colonies should be_ caHtd to the present state of tho navigation laws in the Empire, and in other countries, with a view to securim: uniformity of treatment to British shipping: to prevent unfair competition with British ships by foreign subsidised ships; to secure to British ships equal trading advantages with foreign ship.-.: to secure the employment of Brit.sii oeamcn cm British ships: ami toraise the status and jinpruve the conditions of the seamen employed on such ships. Uniformity of Company Law.— That it is desirable, bo far as cire.umstames permit, to secure greater uniformity in the company laws of the Empire. —Naturalisation.— That so far as is consistent with tho law and conditions obtaining therein, each part of the Britsh Empire should make- provision to facilitate the naturalisation of persons who have been admitted to naturalisation in any other part of the Empire. —Declaration of London.— That it i.s to be regretted that the Dominions were not consulted prior to the acceptance by British delegates of tho acceptance of the terms of tho declaration of London. That it is not desirable that- Great Britain should accept tho inclusion in article 24 of foodstuffs, in view of tho fact that so largo a part of the trade of the Empire is in those articles. That it is not desirable that Great Britain should adopt the provisions of articles 48 and 54, permitting tho dcetmction of neutral vessels.

—limitation, — That the resolution of the Conference of 1907. which was in the following terms, be reaffirmed:—"That it is desirable to encourage British emigrants to proceed to British colonies rather than foreign countries." That the Imperial Government be requested to co-operate- with any colonies desiring immigrants, in assisting suitablepersons to emigrate. That the Secretary of State for the Colonies bo requested To nominate representatives of the dominions to the Committoo of the Emigrants' Information Office. —Law of Conspiracy.— That members of this Conference- recommend to their respective Governments the desirability of submitting measures to Parliament for the prevention of acts of conspiracy to defeat or evade tho laws of any other .part of the Empire. . That the Imperial Government, make 6imi ; lar representations to tho Govcrninonbj of India and Crown colonies. —Nationalisation of the Atlantic Cable— That this Conference strongly recommends the nationalisation of the Atlantic cable, in order to cheapen and render more effective telegraphic communication between Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, by thus acquiring complete control of all telegraphic and cable lines along au all-red route. —Coinage, Weights 'and Measures.— That with a view to facilitating trade a«Lcommexce, throughout tho Eonpiro, the

consideration of tho advisabteness of TO-' commending a reform of the present unity of weights, measures, and coins ought to cngago tho earnest attention of this Conference. —lnternational Arbitration. — That this Conference recommends, in the most emphatic possible manner, tho acceptance by all civilised nations of the principle of reference of international disputes to, and settlement by, a properly constituted tribunal. On tho suggestion of Mr Deakin, who described tho programme as praiseworthy, Mr Hughes agreed to includo tho subjects of trade-marks and patents, and uniformity of trade statistics of tho Empire.