PILGRIMS’ DINNER

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7847, 8 July 1911, Page 1

PILGRIMS’ DINNER

ANGLO-AMERICAN ENTENTE SPEECH BY SIR JOSEPH WARD. DISTINGUISHED GUESTS. FROM OUB SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT LONDON, May 2G. Sir Joseph Ward was amongst a very distinguished company at tho Pilgrims’ dinner to tho Prime Ministers of tho oversea Dominions on Tuesday night, at the Savoy Hotel, and some of tho speeches reached a high level of afterdinner eloquence. Lord Roberts presided, and tho compauy, seated at small tables, numbered 350. Lord Roberts had Sir Wilfrid Laurier and Sir Edward Grey ou his right, and Mr Andrew Fisher and Lord Halsbury on his left. At Sir Joseph Ward's table were Sir Ernest Shackleton, ‘ Colonel Seely, Lord George Hamilton, Lord Farquhar, and Mr Harry Brittain, secretary of tho pilgrims’ Society. Tho company included Mr Lewis Harcourt, the Archbishop of York, Lord Alverstone, Mr Alfred Lyttelton, Lord Strathcona, tho Dukes of Marlborough and Westminster, Lord Warwick, Sir A. Conan Doyle. Lord Deyonport. Lord Furness, the Bishop of Loudon, Lord Esher, Mr T. P. O’Connor, and tho New Zealand High Commissioner. Sir William Hall-Joues. A welcome to tho oversea Premiers was extended by Lord Roberts. “Wo welcome you,’’ he said, “as representatives of our sister nations, and wo welcome you for yourselves as statesmen who, in your several portions of the Empire, have to grapple with the great problems of laying the foundations of a strong and healthy national life, often .with slender resources, yet ever with an eye to tho immense possibilities of the. future." After greeting each of the visiting Premiers in turn, Lord Roberts went ou to point out that the British Empire is entering upon a ucw ago. "Wo live in an ago of competition for power,’’ he said—"naval power, military power, and the economic power which underlies both navies and armies, and for tho sake of which both navies and armies are kept up—tho full meaning of which is only beginning to dawn upon us. We in this country aro already foiling tho pressure of that competition as we have never felt it before. You, ip. the youugei countries, though it has not teen brongnt home to you as closely as tc. us, are also beginning to see what' dangers to, the ireo expansion of your national energies, nay, oven to your very national existence, are, involved iu these new developments of world-power. More and more .vo here aro coming to realise that, if. X nay adopt Canning’s famous phrase, we have to cal] a new world of. empire into being to redress tho bhlance in which ihis old England of ours is being outweighed. ‘United we stand, divided ive’ .’all —that is a maxim the general truth il which is, I think, readily admitted iu ivory p'irt of the Empire." Sir Edward Grey,, a tall, handsome figure, with keen, clear-out features, made au admirable speech on AngloAmerican arbitration. What he had gathered from tho press and other sources, ho said, had made him feel sure, that it was a great advance which was opening the way to great practical progress in the future settlement of disputes. (Applause.) Anything like war between the United States and tho Brit■sh Empire would be unthinkable. Tho object of an arbitration treaty was to avoid quarrels and not unnecessarily to multiply arb.trations. It was. going to confirm the present, but it was' also going to bo a guarantee for thoi luturo.

It was going to bo an example fur the people iu any country who were working to make war remote and mors improbable. Once a treaty of the k-nd was concluded between any two nations there would be people', in other countries who would set themselves to ask whether the time had come when their country m.ght do something of the kind, and il it had not come, why it had. not come. That would lead to a searching inquiry into the causes of differences between nations which would progressively faaye ,avourab-e results.

Sir W.ltr.d Laurier and Sir Joseph Ward replied for the Dominion Premiers. Canada’s picturesque-looking Premier was very effective. His eloquent phrasing and dry humour charmed every hearer. He said it was with some surprise during' the three days he had been in England that ho had learnt that there were men in Britain at this moment who lay awake for fear that Canada m.ght be annexed to the United States. (Laughter.) Were the American people coveting Canada? It would be very surprising if they did not, because the American always knew a good thing when he saw it. (Laughter.) He (Sir Wilfrid) was -an admirer of the American Republic and the American, peoplCi but as much as he loved the tinned States he loved Britain still more. (Loud applause.) If the United States suggested to Canada that they should be annexed, their reply would bo that of Diogenes to Alexander: "Move away and let us have our share of the sun.” (Applause.) . But Canada trusted her American neighbours, and the United , States trusted Canada. (Loud applause.) SIR JOSEPH WARD’S SPEECH.

Sir Joseph Ward was also in. good form, and his, speech was a happy blend of humour and serious appeal. After the magnificent speeches they had heard, he said, ho recognised he was in the unfortunate position of representing a country that had no tioubl'S, at all. (Laughter.) The speeches of Sir E. Grey and the American Consul-General on the subject of arbitration had raised the whole question to a very high level. But then when he found his eloquent friend Sir Wilfrid Laurier feeling it necessary bo offer a defence against the possibility of Canada being annexed by the "United States, he was impressed with the impossibility, in view of New Zealand’s not haring any trouble of the sort, of raising himself to th" tone of eloquence likely to appeal to them. '' y Ly firm impression," continued Sir Joseph, "is that, if there is to be any annexing done it will be by Canada. (Laughter.) May I suggest to the distinguished gentleman who represents the British Government in connection with the negotiation of the treaty between the United States and the United Kingdom that he might just as well include the Dominion ot Canada, lest by and by ehe should absorb the "United States of America? (laughter.) I had the pleasure of passing through Canada and the United States a short time ago, and though I have beard a great deal of talk of the possibility of Canada being absorbed bv the United States, why. you have only to. hoar , the views of Imperial-

ists to realise the impossibility of any such thing taking place. "Tn our portion of Lord Eoberts’s speech I was very much interested. In referring to the slender resources of the Dominions overseas I know of course New Zealand was excluded. (Laughter.) _ But on behalf of the other Prime Ministers here I want to defend them from the possible inferences. Slender resources? Why, where have we sprung from? From this Old Country. And I have never known the people of England to lack resources. If in our new oversea countries we have shown anything in the shape of slender resources, what have we done? We have come to you, and you have backed the bill every time.” (Laughter). Continuing, Sir Joseph Ward expressed his high appreciation of the opportunity afforded him of hearing the speeches of those who had preceded him. They were leading to a better understanding, to a more cordial feeling, to a more powerful co-operation between the different sections of the British Empire, and with them, when the treaty was completed, would be associated the United S’ates. "I will remember with se.tisfictiom" he ■■aid, "that I had the opportunity of hearing these important speeches, and I do not believe there will he any more important spe-ches delivered at the Imperial Conference." Sir Joseph cr nc'nded his remarks with a graceful compliment to Sir Wilfrid Laurier upon the speech he had delivered. The venerable ex-Lord Chancellor, Lord Halsburr, also spoke, welcoming tho overseas Prime Ministers to England. Messages wero read from the King and from the Pilgrimfl in America.