PRESS EXCLUDED

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7449, 25 May 1911, Page 7

PRESS EXCLUDED

SIR JOSEPH WARD’S MOTION WITHDRAWN. Sir Joseph Ward, in moving the admission of the press, referred to the difficulty of obtaining information at the last Conference —a difficulty which the press was unable to control. Sir Wilfrid Laurier said the last Conference arrangements were satisfactory. The people of New Zealand were as well informed as the people of London or Canada. If the press were admitted tho deliberations would assume the form of public discussion. It was necessary to preserve tho privacy of tho debates, and to publish tho results, not differences of opinion. Mr Fisher sympathised, with the resolution, but said that if the press withdrew when a particular subject was discussed public attention would be drawn to it in a more marked degree. He suggested that confidential subjects be separated from tho rest. General Botha opposed tho motion. NOT A PUBLIC MEETING. Mr Asquith suggested that Sir Joseph AVard should not press his motion. Though ho appreciated the reasons prompting Sir Joseph, Mr Asquith said it must be remembered that tho Conference would not partake of tho character of a public meeting, and its usefulness would be impaired if questions were not discussed freely. Tho occasional exclusion of the press would excite curiosity, and pictures would be drawn of conflicts within tho Conference. Sir Joseph AVard, in view of the opinions expressed, said that as he saw no chance of carrying the motion he would withdraw it. NAVAL AND MILITARY MATTERS. Mr Asquith explained that naval and military matters would bo discussed with the Committee of Imperial Defence, where delegates would have tho advantage of experts’ advice. It also would probably bo desirable not to bring other technical subjects before tho Conference until they had been discussed by the overseas representatives and the Imperial departments concerned. HOURS OF SITTING. Tho Conference decided to sit on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 11 in the mornings to

1.30 in tho afternoons, if there is urgent necessity for so doing. An official summary of the proceedings will bo issued daily, IMPERIAL COUNCIL SIR JOSEPH WARD MOVES HIS RESOLUTION. Sir Joseph Ward moved his Imperial Council resolution.: Xlxnt the Kmpire ha.s now reached a stage of Imperial development ■which renders it expedient that there should bo an Imperial Council of State, with representatives from all the constituent parts of tho Empire, whether selfgoverning or not, in theory and in fact advisory to the Imperial Government on all questions affecting tho interests of his Majesty's Dominions oversea. Sir Joseph Ward has not yet finished his speech on the motion.