The Imperial Conference

Manawatu Standard, Issue 7403, 19 September 1902, Page 4

The Imperial Conference

irrtts A.«-.!-w;i«n.--Cor.3r:i:til. Svi'KKi', September 19. Tho Lor.don <n<rcspoiid ul of the Daily Telegraph, wriling on lha work ol the imperi.il Conference, fays that the most noticcnb'.e fe:luro wis tie tltfeat of the ulira-!ii.p?iiitl atic psrly and the slump in Sedtioi'iMii.

After a good deal oJ ne;:otia' ion over tho naval subsidy .Sic E. Barton and Mr Seddon agreed to recommend a contribution of X' 240.000 a year, of which Now Zealand's share was £'10,000. Mr i-eddon stipulated that one-third of the ships should always bo in New Zealand. Sir E, Barton protested ngainst this on tho grour.d that Mr Seddon had pledged his colony to one-fixth of tho cost and wanted onethird of the benefits. Sir E. Barton brought matters to a crisis by announcing he was prepared to recommend tho Australian Parliament to voto £200,000 for tho exclusive right to the services of a slightly smaller fleet, provided that in times of peace tho ships would be prohibited from using any coal other than English or Australian. This meant Now Zealand would have to make a special aod separate arrangement for a small fleet of its o«h, and would lose tho benefit of conl contracts for the Australian squadron. Mr Stddon wns quick onougb to sco this, and capitulated, und accepted- Iho criminal tcrina under which one wart hip and ono cruiser for drill purposes would bo poruiantntly stationed in Mew Zealand. ,

Mr Seddon obtained no support for liia proposals to establish a lighting force for eervico in the Empire, excepting some sympathy from the Capo and Nutal. Sir Wilfrid Laurior und Sir "E. Barton were to promident in tlu-i> opposition that tho project%tfas promptly abaudoned.

Tho attempt to make lijian appanago of New Zealand a!so fi.i'id. Mr Ch«mbeiiniD nsln.d Mr SeU Ln would hf, il it was found preferable to brinj; New Zealand under Australian control, support the trantf Jrenco of that colony to tho Comuiomvoahh ? Mr Seddon vidiculcd the ideo. " Then, by what right," askod Mr Chamberlain, "do jcu pro pose to usurp tho government of an independent Statn like Fiji, which is gradually working out a destiny towards self-govornment '■' " Mr Soddon declined to dipcußs tho question, saving, in effect, " I can see I have to fnce a hostile conference, and I will therefore not press the matter."