SIR E. BARTON.
l EETUEN HOME. | Brisbane, Monday. ' Sir E. Barton, who arrived by the I i Aorangi from Vancouver, was welcomed on behalf of the Federal and State Parliaments. In the course of an interview he reviewed the work of the Imperial Conference, but added nothing of importance to the facts already cabled. He refrained from expreseing any opinion as to the remits of the conference. He said the statement was untrue that the speeches he delivered in Canada were more fismboyant than those he delivered in England. Ho advocated reasonable Imperialism, not a reckless tendency to rush into qnarrels ■ and disputes without considering the causes. He favored cohesion with the Empire by ail reasonable and wise means consistent with the preservation of their own autonomous government. Eoceivid Octobir 14,1 a.m. In reply to an interviewer Sir E. Barton said with reference to the naval agreement that in time of peace the squadron would be stationed in Ans- , tralia, with the exception of one drill ( ship and one cruiser, which would be in i New Zr aland waters. Mr Seddon £ claimed a much larger proportion, but ' upon full discussion he saw the justice t of the arrangement. It was part of the a arrangement that if the cereral I proportions of men from AnsUalia * and New Zealand were not available, * these lacking from one colony coaid be a obtained from another. The agreement n was to last for ten years. Provision J 1 wss made that at the end of the eighth u or any subsequent year notice might be s given of a desire to terminate it. Is Nothing in the agreement is to be 4 mean that the squadron is to be the only force used in Australian waters. L
If the necessity arises a larger force may hi used. Dealing with the question of the stations to be occupied by the squadron Hr E. Barton said that in time of war operations are to be carried on by the vessels in the waters of Australasia, China, and the East Indies where they can most effectively act against hostile vessels which ate threatening the interests of Australia and New Zealand. He added: “We were assured during the discussion that the Imperial Government would endeavor to make Australia and New Zealand the bases of coal supplies for the squadron in Eastern waters.” In a further interview, Hr E. Barton eaid it seemed to him that the conference was not by any means the unsatisfactory one that some persons had endeavored to designate it. It had coma to very important, and, he thought, gratifying decisions, which would result in binding the Empire even more closely than at present. Besides that, it afforded an excellent opportunity of securing the views of representatives of the self-governing colonies throughout the Empire, and of the Imperial Government on matters of mutual interest. In future the conferences probably would be more important. The view was expressed that future conference* should be held at intervals of not exceeding font years, the Secretary of State to make the necessary arrangements. It was originally determined that they should be held every three years, but it was concluded that there might be a difficulty in securing a representative conference in that period. If, however, a queition of emergency arose it might he held after a three years’ interval.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HBH19021014.2.13.10
Bibliographic details
Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12267, 14 October 1902, Page 3
Word Count
560SIR E. BARTON. Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12267, 14 October 1902, Page 3
Using This Item
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.