DITINGUISHED COLONIALS AT HOME

New Zealand Mail, 27 August 1902, Page 57 (Supplement)

DITINGUISHED COLONIALS AT HOME

premiers* perorations. . P DIFFERING FROM THE _ DUKE. \ /From Our Special Correspondent.) [ ' LONDON. July 12. 1 TAst Monday was a great day for colo- \ Moratory. even though. Mr Seddtfn was t day in Lancashire. The speeches , “fthe fifth annuai general meeting of the ] #t BRITISH EMPIRE LEAGUE i chiefly important as giving us some : of me views that are being put b.V the Conservative part of the ( p’wnet at the Coronation Conference the questions on which disagreement ; mav be expected. On two points at least rtnke of Devonshire on the one hand, t!l ®, a; r Edmund Barton and Sir Gordon sSS »“ «“> » the, > r re *5 & Sce and a similar difference of ’is sure to manifest itself at the who presided, sketched the ■ Hetorv of the League, the executor of The Imperial Federation League, an association which had been rather m advance , Q . u s time Increased interest in Tntdand in colonial matters he attributed m Queen Victoria’s personality, to colonial assistance in the war, and the. Koval world tour. In the presence of jueh events there seemed little for a leaime of private individuals to do, but such matters as the improvement of means of communication and postal and telegraph arrangements might well engage the attention of the League which mMt belli in rhe (liscnssion of such matters of inactical importance. Beferring to the Conference, the Duke said that the questions of Imperial defence commercial and political relations, were inseparable and governed by the FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION OF IM-~ PERIAL DEFENCE. "I feel,” said the Duke, "that the question of Imperial commercial relations will at no very distant date solve itself or be solved by our respective Governments in accordance with those economical laws which we may disregard for a time but which w'll in the end inevitably assert themselves. I have no reason to think that those laws will present any obstacle to the consummation which we must all desire, viz., that of free trade, or the nearest approach to free trade, within every portion of the Empire.” The question of Imperial defence, however, continued the Duke, could not wait. ‘The Conference will have to consider whether the colonial forces are organised at present in such a manner as to make them of the greatest value in a war in which the existence of the Empire might be involved, and what is the relative share which ought tc be borne by the United Kingdom and the colonies in the common defence. That question is one which our colonies must at no distant time consider in the contingency of their desiring that the present British Empire should remain inviolate or in the other contingency, of having as great independent states, to provide for their own security.”

As regarded political relations, the Duke has evidently made a step in advance since he contributed bis article to the first number of the “Empire Review,” for he said: “If our colonies should see fit to take upon themselves a greater share of the burden of Imperial defence, to consider their commercial and financial policy in reference to the needs and necessities of the Empire as a whole, and not alone to their own local necessities and needs, then our colonies will have an undisputed claim to be admitted to g larger share in the direction of the Imperial policy of the Empire as a whole.” The Duke u„ni however, that while it was the dntv of eh" Government to rabe the fundamental question of Imperial defence, in -the other matters the colonies should take the lead. The defence of the Empire must be sought not in the localisation of our naval apd military forces in a vain attempt to • 'secure the protection of "every point, but in the well-considered distribution, of both naval and military forces at those vital Points where they iiiteht best annihilate the enemy or destroy bis combinations. Sir Edmund Barton., in seconding the adoption of the annual report, lost no time in expressing his dissent from the Duke. Itwould he impossible to make progress in the Conference if . .rigid, “adherence to doctrines which stood ;in.',f.Re w'a.y of their coming together ""itras' : 'lttemanded. The internal cohesion' of the Empire would be best promoted for some time to come by relying on spontaneous assistance being given fry the colonies to the Empire when its integrity was threatened. Gordon Sprigg quite concurred in this sentiment, and said his principle was —trust the people. - The colonies could not afford to adopt a commercial policy which would cause a diminution in their customs revenues, but these.might be-kept np by imposing increased duties on products coming from outside the Empire and putting the products from within the Empire on a lower basis. This was his policy.

The Duke.' in acknowledging a .vote of. thanks, realised that he was out. of touch with colonial ideas and hedged somewhat, assuring his “colonial friends whom ho bad somewhat frightened” that he never expected that any of them would oe called on to contribute to a cast-iron system of Imperial defence, nor that in the near future any of the colonies would become converts even to those modified principles of- free trade which were favoured by the Duke andi by which, a nearer approach to free trade within the Empire might be made. What those knows princ,iples are the Duke only AT THE CONSTITUTIONAL CLUB Ww o i nila ' y , the colonial Premiers ySf{- the choice of two banquets. Sir ten ala 4.f iai i? ier and Sir-John Forrest atConstitutional Club’s eompliSir t p'? r in ? er to the Royal guests, while r Edmund Barton and the South

African. Premiers went to the annual dinner of the Imperial Chapter of the Primrose League. The Duke of Marlborough presided at the Constitutional Club and proposed “Our Guests.” ; Sir Wilfrid Laurier, after describing the British Empire as a "galaxy of free nations,” expressed his belief that the Empire could be defended,by the arts of peace; Great Britain had never been carried away by militarism. While others had been bled white to maintain armies she had- refused

to follow the example set her. What had made the Empire could keep it. He believed in the old doctrines which had made England great and -which could preserve her and make her-still greater. Mr Allerdale Grainger also responded with an expression of sympathy for Mr Chamberlain and a declaration that if any colonial uttered such sentiments as were allowed to be uttered here, even in the House of Commons, he would have a black eye every week. Sir John Forrest in proposing “His Majesty’s Ministers” made a fighting speech again as a free iauce and not as die Commonwealth Minister of Defence.

tie could not agree that the Empire was only to be built up by methods of peace.

Only a strong arm could command respect. He approved the Government’s refusal to suspend the Constitution of Cape Colony. The great task of the future was to assure our supremacy on the ocean. The time had come—and he did not care a snap of the finger what the opinion in Canada or Australia was—when it was necessary for the colonies to

join the Mother Country in maintaining adequately our supremacy at sea. Questions of proportion and representation were matters of detail, the principle was there.

Sir John seems to have very curious notions about the status of a Cabinet Minister. In the morning lie dons the mantle of a responsible Minister of perhaps the most advanced democracy in the world, and represents—or is supposed to represent—at an Imperial Conference the considered opinion of Australia as crystallised in its Cabinet. In the evening he throws, off the Minister’s mantle and appears in the dress clothes of a private gentleman, expressing his own individual views and declaring he doesn’t care wliat Australian opinion is. This Dr. .Tekyll and M.r Hvde business must be rather confusing to the Imperial Erovernment, who can never be quite sure when the

voice is that of Australia and when that of Forrest.

PURPLE PASSAGES AT THE PRIMROSE' LEAGUE.

At the Primrose League dinner Viscount Ridley presided, and the Duke of Abercorn proposed “Our Imperial Guests.” Sir Edmund Barton, in responding—to parody “lolanthe”—“said nothing in particular and said it very well,” with his customary fluency and facility. The tide of Imperial feeling like some enriching flood overflowing the Empire, the absence of need for parchment bonds when things were written on the heart, these and similar purple phrases bulked large in Sir Edmund's

oration. One definite opinion lie did express; and that was unstinted approval of the non-suspension of the Constitution of Cape Colony, declaring that it could not be a good thing, except for overwhelming reasons to suspend, even for a day, the liberties of Britons. '

Sir Gordon Sprigg said that he would

leave in a few days to carry on the- fight for constitutional government at the Cape, and had sufficient proof that the measures which would have to be submitted in order to give security to the country and place it on a thoroughly constitutional basis would be supported by an ample npajority in the Cape Parliament. He predicted a career of expanding prosperity for Cape Colony. FRIDAY’S FETES.

Friday last week was devoted in the morning to the discussion of Imperial defence by the colonial Premiers. It was, quite in. accordance with, the fitness of tilings .that the Maoris should be the heroes of the afternoon and ■the Indians of the night, H The entertainment at which the*..Maoris appeared was. the fete.in the beautiful -Kcyal' Botanical Garden’s, Regents,, Park; in aid of St. George’s Hospital, 'of ivjiieii Mr H. and Hoff. Mrs William'West-were the moving spirits: About 200© society ’folk Were present, Royalty, was represented by Princess Christian, Princess Henry of Battenberg and junior meriiber s of-the family,' there were plenty of Indian princes to give colour to the proceedings and among colonials there were Sir Edmund and Lady Bar ton, Mr, Mrs and the Misses Seddon, Colonel Porter, C. 8., and Mrs Howie, and several AgentsGeneral. Military hands played in the grounds, triangular niongol banners waved in tbe breeze—when there was .any —a variety show went on in a p’ahn house, the third act of Othello—strange choice —was given as a pastoral play, ladies of rank and fashion cajoled you into buying buttonholes and cigarettes, and in a hollow under the trees about 30 Maoris, under the command of Captain Seddon and Lieutenannt Hardham, V-.C., danced a haka. Their first performance took place about four o’clock in the presence of Princess Louise Augusta, the only Royalty then present. The dance proved somewhat meaningless to the spectators. One lady was heard to remark that it was “like wild beasts at the Zoo,” while one of the morning journals which boasts the largest circulation referred to burnt cork and the corner men. Kai Ivakariki acted as the leader and the haka concluded with the Coronation oration and chant, which being interpreted runs thus:—“Thou, O King, has been an unseen being to us, and now we See thee face to face. In the East We have heard of thee, and of tliy Majesty, and of thy doings, and We have crossed the wide ocean to see thee.. We come before thee now to show opr loyalty and allegiance to thy Majesty.” Later on-when Princesses Christian and Henry og "Battenberg ahd other Royalties came on the scene the Maoris* gave a second “haka” by command, this time in their uniforms, concluding With cheers for the Princesses.

Mr Seddon. and his party were of course quite to the fore. The jjosition he occupied was close to the pathway by which the Royalties proceeded from the entrance to the entertainments, and as each Princess arrived, stopped opposite Mr Seddon’s coign of vantage and a presentation took place, it looked almost as if the Princesses were being introduced to "King Dick” and not vice versa.