LIBERALS AND THE COLONIES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1746, 23 August 1905, Page 69

LIBERALS AND THE COLONIES.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, June 9.

A number of Liberal M.P.’s, said to be “interested in colonial affairs,” met in solemn conclave the othex - day to discuss, apparently, the best means of proving to the world that they, at any rate, are quite alive to the importance of the Mother Country keeping in close touch with her colonies and dependencies. Sir Edwai'd Grey presided, and among the score of attendants were Sir Charles Dilke, Mr Haldane, Mr Asquith, Mr Sydney Buxton, Mr C. P. Trevelyan, Sir William Holland, the Master of Elibank, and Mr Munro-Ferguson. The precis of the proceedings supplied to the press was as follows: — “It was agreed that the policy of holding conferences between the Home Govei'iiment and the Governments of the colonies and of India required development, and that the question of the foim which the machinery for this development should assume was one ‘which should be discussed in the House of Commons, with a view to its considers tion in such conference. It was also agreed that it was eminently desirable that provision should be made for the collection of material relating to the general intei'ests of the Empii’e in the intervals of conferences, that means should be provided for more systematic and frequent consultation than exists 'at present among those responsible for affairs in the diffei'ent parts of the dominions of the Crown. It was resolved that the Government should he pressed foi - an opportunity of discussing the.se matters at an eai'ly date.” The immediate outcome of this conference was that in the House of Commons on "Wednesday Mr Haldane asked the Prime Minister “whether, having l’egard to the importance of Colonial Confei'ences and the desirableness of making better provision for their continuity and efficiency, he will afford an opportunity of discussing the matter before the close of the session.” Mr Balfour replied that the' Government had from time to time had under their consideration methods for, in the. words of the question, increasing the “continuity arid efficiency” of these Colonial Conferences, and have been communicating with the Colonial Governments on the subject.

Mr Black asked the First Lord of the Treasury, having in view his recent announcement of the Government’s policy in relation to colonial preference, whether he could now state the Government’s attitude towards the preferential taxation of wheat and flour in the Mother Country. Mr Balfour: I have nothing to add to what I have said on the subject. Mr Black: Is any scheme of colonial preference possible without the taxation of corn in this country ? No answer was given.