THE AUSTRALIAN DINNER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13399, 30 January 1907, Page 7

THE AUSTRALIAN DINNER.

SPEECHES ON COLONIAL

SUBJECTS.

LORD TENNYSON ON THE

CONFERENCE

IMPERIAL. NOT COLONIAL.

By Telegraph.—Press Association.—

(Received January 29. 10.2 p.m.)

London*, January 29. The Australian Anniversary Day banquet was held at the Trocadero Restaurant yesterday. There were 190 persons present, and they included Lord Mayo, Sir Montague Nelson, the High Commissioner for New Zealand (Mr. Reeves), and many representative merchants, bankers, and shipowners. Lord Tennyson presided, and proposed " The Day we CeL-:: "ate." He read messages from Mr. Do akin and Mr. Bent, and each was received with applause.

Lord Tennyson strongly advocated for Australia the immigration of carefully-selected British men and women .and said they would greatly strengthen the Commonwealth.

He hoped that the Colonial Conference would consider the establishing of a co-operative system of colonial defence throughout the Empire and the organisation of an Intelligence Committee.

He trusted the Australian representatives would submit a carefullyconsidered scheme of preferential tariffs in favour of British commodities which would lead up to . nterImperial free trade, and lie hoped that Sir H. Campbcll-Bannerman in opening the Conference would show that it was to be not only colonial but Imperial in its scope.

Sir John Cockburn proposed " The Imperial Government."

Lord Elgin, replying, said among the greatest difficulties in bringing about unity of sentiment between the Governments of the colonies and the Motherland was the lack of acquaintance ; therefore he appreciated nothing more than the forming of an acquaintance with the leaders of the colonial Parliaments at the Conference. While he was preparing the programme for the Conference obviously it would be improper for him to express any opinion upon it, but Lord Tennyson's suggestion as to the Imperial character of the Conference be cordially welcomed.

Lord Brassey proposed " The Imperial Forces," and Admiral BowdenSniith and General Hutton replied. The latter advocated the establishing in the Motherland of a militia similar to Canada's and Australia's.