IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

New Zealand Mail, 20 August 1902, Page 16

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

SUBSIDIES TO MAIL STEAMERS

LONDON, August 12

Tho Imperial Conference has recommended colonial Governments and the Imperial Government to review the question of subsidies to mail ships. Tho conference advised that power he obtained to acquire all future cables on equitable terms. The metric system was favourably considered, and also the mutual protection of patents throughout the Empire. Sir Edmund Barton did not make any proposal regarding further annexation in the Pacific at present. New Guinea will_ be converted into Commonwealth territory under an Act of the Federal Parliament next session. Sir Edmund . will consult, his colleagues relative to the initiation of a faster service between Vancouver and <

Australia, but ho lias not indicated any willingness to join in developing a freight service between Canada, South Africa and Australasia.

CONCLUSION -OF THE PROCEEDINGS.

LONDON, August 12. The Imperial Conference has concluded its deliberations.

The proceedings will not be published, though the resolutions passed ivill be issued shortly as a Parliamentary paper.

Sir Edmund Barton considers the results as satisfactory as he expected. He thinks Mr Chamberlain is reasonably satisfied, though he has not obtained all that he Imped.

Imperial freetrade being impossible, Sir Edmund stales, the conference favours such preferential treatment of British products and manufactures as the colonial Parliaments may approve, leaving the Imperial Parliament to make such return as is open to it. The colonies are to retain entire control of their land forces, and the naval 1 agreement, which Sir Edmund Barton considers satisfactory, will enable Australasia to take a more prominent part in the defence of the station than at present. < Facilities ate to be granted for the training of a naval reserve in Imperial waters.