MR SEDDON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5914, 1 June 1906, Page 5

MR SEDDON.

CABLE NEWS.

SUITED PBEB3 ASSOCIATION. —BT BlaECTaw TELEOBA.PH. —COPYRIGHT*

CONFERENCE WITH AIR DEAKIN. RECIPROCITY*. MR CHUR-OHILL’S SPEECH. VIEWS OF NEW ZEALAND’S PREMIER. (Received May 31, 11.55 p.m.) MELBOURNE, May 31. Mr Seddcn and Mr Dcakin held a conference to-day, when the possibility of arriving at a reciprocal agreement was dismissed, and the question of the Now Hebrides was dealt with. Everything so far is confidential. It is understood, in regard to reciprocity, that the agreement with South Australia of 1897 will be extended, and forms the .basis of the present negotiations. Mr Soddon dined with the Commonwealth Government. Ho declares that ho is harder worked here than if he were in New Zealand. Mr Seddon expresses great pleasure at tho tone of Mr Winston Churchill’s speech at tho West Australian banquet in Loudon. Allowing that Mr Churchill made the speech with a view to improving tho position with the colonies, cr to please them, he thinks it shows that our aspirations and ideals are being realised, and that colonials will brook no interference with their rights as selfgoverning colonies. It was, said Mr Seddon, pleasing to see that steps were being taken in tho direction of intercolonial preference. This would meet with/ the approval of the Imperial authorities. It -would also lead up to preferential trade with the Mother Country. He also mentioned, in this respect, that comparative tables which he had prepared of New Zealand’s trade would, when published, provo an object lesson to- those who were sceptical and jeered at the scheme of preference to Great Britain. With regard to Mr Churchill’s allusions to defence, Mr Seddon said tho sooner someone told the British Government what was underlying the Australian desire respecting naval protection the better. During time of war, it was feared, the British Government would withdraw the squadron from Australia, and leave her open to attack by marauders. They in New Zealand had stipulated in their agreement that there should be at all times two warships in New Zealand waters. He had been adversely criticised by the Imperial Minister of War, the Lords of the Admiralty, and soma Prime Ministers who attended the last Imperial Conference. Personally, he did not fear that Australia or New Zealand would suffer if left unprotected during war time. Mr Churchill’s opinion on collectivist ideals was, to Mr Soddon, the niost satisfactory feature of his speech. The 'New Zealand Government had some time ago expressed a wish that a member of the Royal Family and Mr Churchill should visit New Zealand about Exhibition time.