ROYAL COLONIAL INSTITUTE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1189, 14 December 1894, Page 15

ROYAL COLONIAL INSTITUTE.

London, December 12. There was a largo attendance at the Koyal Colonial Institute when Sir Henry Wrixon, of Victoria, read a paper on the recent Canadian Conference. He said the chief significance of the Conference at Ottawa was the warm feeling of common brotherhood evoked by the representative gathering of all branches of the Empire. Improvements in steam and electricity would soon render possible facilities for communication enabling a degree of national concentration to be attained calculated to entirely overpower the weakness at present inherent in the expansion of the Empire. During the discussion which followed, Lord Brassey urged the Government to grant the recommendations of the Con-

ference, which would largely develop the trade of the Empire. Sir J. S. D. Thompson, Premier of Canada, said that the tenders for the laying °f. the proposed Pacific cable were a million dollars below the estimate.

The Hon Thomas Play ford, Agent-General for South Australia, declared that to send in tenders for laying the cable before* even the survey of the route had been made, constituted a breath of faith, If the cable was laid, it would be only honest.to protect South Australia aga'inst any losaV He went on to say that England could easily admit Atistralian wines at a lower rate than foreign wines. ' Thd colonies were always seeking to conserve the interests,of England, and she only keep the loyalty of the colonies if she made 'it worth their while. '-/.■'. Speaking, on Sir H, Wrixon's paper at the Colonial Institute, Siirr JP;; S; Thompson said that the practical■;.' i ;i(>Tiitfcb i in'o'' i of the O ttawa Conference was ;asstire# an d that the Pacific cable was; ~c£rt&in - of attainment. The Canadian Government had voted Mr Huddartfs Company a, subsidy, as they were determined to secure their services.