THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 786, 25 March 1887, Page 26

THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. SPECIAL TO UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. London, March 17. With the exception of the first meeting, the sittings of the Imperial Conference will ba held with closed doors. Crown colonies are not officially represented, but Sir Henry Holland has invited several gentlemen specially conversant with the Crown colonies to attend the opening, and will be permitted to attend subsequent meetings when matters of which they have a knowledge are under consideration. Sir Henry Holland will preside when convenient, and in his absence Lord Onslow will take the chair. Mr W. A. Baillie Hamilton, Private Secretary of the Colonial Office, will act as secretary of the Conference. A feeling of regret is widespread at the decision to hold the meetings in private, as the various newspapers had made elaborate preparations for reporting the proceedings. An opinion prevails that the Queen ought to open the Conference.' The Carlton Club admit" the members of Conference as honorary members, which is quite unprecedented so far as this Club is concerned. London, March 18. Mr Downerintends to propose at the Imperial Conference that the English Government should introduce a bill with the object of making it legal to extradite absconding debtors. London, March 20. Mr Downer, South Australian dele-* gate to the Imperial Conference, and his wife, have been presented to the Queen. Mr Dodds, the Tasmanian delegate, has arrived. The Times, in an article on the scope and object of the Imperial Conference, characterises it as the most interesting gathering of Imperial and colonial delegates ever called. Speaking of the year’s national demonstrations, the ; Conference part must be regarded as the most memorable event of the Jubilee. Tho same journal, discussing the important questions to be considered by the Conference, specially mentions the ocean postal service, which is denounced as beiug utterly inadequate to the progress of the age and the rapid development of British possessions ; its defects are glaring, and the system bad, whilst it is more costly than it should be. The question of Imperial federation will be discussed, but the opinioa is expressed

that the time has not arrived for giving practical effect to any scheme effecting political federation of tho Empire. The Chronicle, in an article on the Conference, refers in hopeful terms to it, and says it is likely to lead to beneficial national results. Commenting ou the decision not to allow a full measure of representation to Crown colonies at the Conference equally with autonomous colonies, the Chronicle would like to have seen every Colony represented on the occasion, aud which would practically have made it a Federal Parliament. The members of St. George’s Club will entertain the delegates to the Imperial Conference at a banquet on 20fch April. The Duke of Cambridge will be present. London, March 21. Sir Henry Holland’s memorandum to the delegates to the Imperial Conference enjoins complete secrecy in reference to the proceedings. The Victorian delegates bold a meeting on Wednesday. Mr Downer, South Australian delegate, will confer with members of the Marriage Reform Association on Wednesday. (REUTER’S TELEGRAMS.) London, March 17. The colonial delegates to the Imperial Conference have been elected honorary members of the Carlton Club. It is announced that the first meeting of the Imperial Conference will be held at the Foreigu Office on the 4th of April, when the Marquis of Salisbury and other Ministers will be present. Subsequent meetings will be held at the Colonial Office until the seventh proximo, when the Conference will be adjourned till the 15ch. London, March 18. In the House of Lords to-day, replying to a question put by the Earl of Harrowby, the Earl of Onslow, Uuder-Secretary of State for the Colonies, stated that the Government attached great importance to the approaching Imperial Conference, and would heartily welcome representatives from Crown Colonies as well as from colonies possessing responsible Government. Representatives from nearly every British Colony would, he added, attend the opening of the Conference. London, March 21. A circular has been issued by Sir Henry Holland to the representatives at the Imperial Conference, announcing the programme to be carried out at the Conference, and inviting suggestions for further subjects of discussion.