DEFENCE & REPRESENTATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8363, 25 February 1913, Page 6

DEFENCE & REPRESENTATION

This morning, we publish an important dispatch from tho Imperial Cabinet to the Government of New Zealand in common with those of other oversea Dominions. Briefly, the Ministries ot Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and Newfoundland are cordially invited to have representation upon the Committee of Imperial Defence, for the purposes of consultation upon questions of naval and military defence concerning tho Dominions, and also to acquire, in confidence, knowledge of the policy and proceedings of tho Imperial Government in foreign and other affairs. The matter is definitely stated by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to arise out of a proposal made by Sir Joseph Ward to the Imperial Conference in 1911. Sir Joseph suggests that the High Commissioners of the Dominions should be summoned to meetings of the Imperial Defence Committee when the Dominions’ interests were involved in the business matter of such meetings ; but it was unanimously agreed that such representation ought to be by Ministers responsible to their colleagues and Parliament. There is in Mr Harcourt’s dispatch a tone of real cordiality and a lack of formality which in themselves must contribute to cementing the ties of kinship and common interest binding the constituent parte of our great Empire so closely—and, wo may hope, permanently—together. The Imperial authorities are dearly desirous of giving 'oversea Britishers a very marked degree of confidence, and are soliciting co-operation and advioe in the extensive problem of the Empire’s defence. ' , Nevertheless, the proposal, dr invita tion, must not be misunderstood, for the Home authorities are careful to point out that the Committee of Imperial Defence is purely an advisory body, and that the decision of policy “is and must remain the sole preroga tive of the Cabinet, subject to the support of the House of Commons.” With that very proper understanding the oversea Governments are warmly invit ed to take a- share in the discussion of questions of the most vital gravity and consequenceto the whole Faupiro. Canada is understood to have already aoqepted, this offer. The other 1 Dominions must decide according to their circumstances, but the nature of the invitation clearly presupposes that any representative shall be a responsible Minister of the Crown. To a country situated so far from London as New Zealand is, it would obviously, take Up tho better port of a Ministers time to accept this new duty of Imperial statesmanship, and a member of the Cabinet from the country almost continuously might possibly get somewhat out of touch with tho public opinion he is sent to represent. But there are responsibilities outside our small domestic circle. Each constituent part ol the Empire has duties to tho whole, duties New Zealand, we are sore, desires neither to under-estimate nor to shirk. Acceptance of the invitation now submitted would probably necessitate the appointment of an additional member of the Cabinet. But that is a detail for future discussion. In this scheme there lies, we may believe, the nucleus of that authoritative, executive Imperial Council which, despite the many difficulties suggested by the proposition, is the ambition of some of the best minds in Britain and in Greater Britain.