IMPERIAL FEDERATION,

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LX, Issue LX, 3 November 1910, Page 5

IMPERIAL FEDERATION,

WHAT THE TIMES SAYS. .bi CA3ii.fi— i'EESS ASSUOIATION— COPi EIGHT. LONDON, Nov. 2. The Times endorses Mr L. C.Amery's that Imperial Federation would ututker be hindered by genuine devolution nor helped. Open federation of Ureat' Britain, in any case, is too far off ;te be admitted as a factor in the pre.sent domestic calculation. Referring to a cablegram from the Sydney correspondent of the Times, the paper adds that it is important to note vhax. Australians are already taking alarm at the mere discussion of Imperial Federation in connection with a purely British problem. "PACIFICUS" SUGGESTS A CONVENTION. LONDON, Nov. 2. "Pacificus," in his letter, suggested a -convention similar to the United States -and South African Conventions, broadly representative of the main divisions -of political opinion, which would sit with closed doors to formulate a proposal to end the present difficulty. Par-" liameut could afterwards accept, amend or reject the proposal. "Pacificus" concludes: "It is contended that the -introduction of Federalism into the United Kingdom would make Imperial union harder to achieve. This .is untrue. An Imperial Parliament alone is required to assent to a scheme of Imperial Union. The dominions are very -ahy of entering into our discussions even on matters of defence, because of the confusion of party issues existing. The present Parliamentary system makes it almost impossible for the dominions to support any hine of policy without identifying themselves with one or other of the British parties. If the convention solves Horn© Rule for Ireland or the House of Lords question, it will create a precedent giving hope that a similar convention could discover a method, consistent with popular government and national ambitions, for arriving at an understanding between . the United Kingdom and the do--minions.