IMPERIAL SOLIDARITY.,

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14690, 26 May 1911, Page 7

IMPERIAL SOLIDARITY.,

NEW ZEALAND'S PROPOSAL.

THE COUNCIL OF STATE.

LOOSE FORM OF FEDERATION.

By Telegraph.— Association.— CopyrightLondon, May 24. The debate on the motion of Sir Joseph Ward that an Imperial Council be set up on the grounds of Imperial unity, the necessity for organised Imperial defence, and equal distribution of the burdens thereof, representation of the self-governing Dominions in an Imperial Parliament for determining peace or war, and for the consideration of foreign policy and international treaties affecting the Empire, has been adjourned till Thursday.

In the course of his speech, in support of the motion, Sir Joseph said that the remarkable growth of the Dominions Overseas required the gravest consideration of statesmen to prevent difficulties which might in the future be almost impossible of settlement, but which might be cttaifc with while the population was limited. He believed that in 25 years the combined population of the Dominions Overseas would exceed that of the United Kingdom, and those controlling the Empire's destinies would have to consider the expansion of its units.

All were concerned in the maintenance of some loose form of federation of the Dominions, now kept together by sentiment. The experience of the United States showed what tremendous changes might take place in regard to nationality. He believed that they would have to face such a problem owing to the attractiveness of the Empire overseas for settlement to people of different language from our own.

Unless the question of emigration and immigration were treated Imperially and anxious care taken to keep our people within the Empire its future strength might be dissipated and the best of the population spread amongst alien countries.