IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 8146, 18 April 1887, Page 4

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE .

|BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH, —COPYRIGHT. [Special to Press Association.] [Received April 16, at 1.14 p.m.J LONDON, April 14. At the Imperial Conference, resumed to-day, Sir Henry Holland intimated that tho Lord Chancellor held that there was a difficulty in the way of authorising trustees to invest in Colonial inscribed stock, as the Imperial Government had no power to limit the borrowing of the Colonies, or to sue the Colonies in default of dividends. The delegates were unanimous that the Colonies would not consent to allow their borrowing powers to be controlled, but they might possibly concede the right to sue for dividends. Sir Francis Dillon Bell asked for the abolition of the stamp duty on inscribed stock, but answer was given to the effect that it was unlikely to be granted at present, though it was probable that some concession in the direction named might he made after ten years ; meanwhile the duty would be placed to a suspense account, the Colonies receiving interest. Sir J. W. Downer proposed that children born in the Colonies of marriages with deceased wife’s sisters should bo legitimised in England. Sir H. Holland thought it unlikely this would be conceded until suchj marriages were legalised in England. It would be equivalent to altering the English law of inheritance.

The question post and telegraphs will be discussed on Tuesday, and the New Hebrides on Friday. The demand for a deterioration fund for the Colonial fleet of warships will probably be abandoned, Victoria

agreeing to an. equivalent increase in the yearly charge for maintenance.[Received April 17, at 10.15 p m.l LONDON, Apbil 16. At the Conference practically' nothing is being done. The Government do nothing but formulate schemes, the only purpose seemingly' being to seek the opinions of the delegates. Possibly an agreement may be arrived at whereby the British Government will undertake to invest a Trust Fund in Colonial securities. There is a strong feeling that the opinions of the delegates on the Deceased Wife’s Sister question will greatly influence Parliament in dealing with that measure when it is' again brought forward. i?