THE CORONATION.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10586, 15 October 1910, Page 2

THE CORONATION.

STATEMENT BY SIR J. G. WARD

(Per Press Association.) Chvistchurch, October 14. "I cannot say very much about that," •etnarked the Prime Minister "to-day. in mswer. to a question relative rosthe v king's, coronation. "The date" upon Hiich the ceremony is to take-place and he date of the meeting of the Imperial Conference have not been definitely fix■d,- and both matters are at present the .uliject of communication between the 3ome and Dominion authorities, with he object, in the case of the conference, of ascertaining the period that vill be most suitable to the representa,ives of the overseas British dominions. Ln all likelihood the conference will >pen six weeks or a month before the late of the coronation. I propose ,o lay on the table of the House next veek a. list of the subjects I have sent lome, and which I think should be irought up for discussion.. Necessarily cannot give any details, because it s due to the House that its members ihould get the information first." On being asked if the Government in,ended to send Home representatives of he Defence Forces of the Dominion to >e present at the coronation, as was lone at the coronation of the late King, sir Joseph said that the matter had not i lecn considered by the Cabinet. There I vas a in "different parts -of tue jountry that a number of men should r 0 Home at their own expense, and That desire had been conveyed to him, ind also the information that up to 300 men were prepared to go under he conditions mentioned.- "That such x voluntary request should be made shows a fine feeling of patriotism, and oyalty," continued the Prime Minister, "and certainly creates a new aspect of Imperial concerns. At this moment I ain not prepared to say whether it .vould be fair to accept an individual sacrifice of the kind, and until the matter is fully considered T cannot, or course, say whether the proposal will be iccepted,'but later on I hope to be able ;o make a public statement on the subject. I think it would be a'good tlung if the Imperial Government sent out a jompany of British troops to be present in the Dominion at tlie'time of the coronation. Seeing that the Old Land and the Dominion are being educated in matters of defence on similar lines the advantage of having an up-to-date pany of British troops in New Zealand on the occasion of an epoch-making event in the history of the Empire would at least show mutuality of feeling, and would be indicative of a general interest in the defence organisation that, from a practical standpoint}-would have a good effect. We are so far from the Old Land that the New Zealand officers and men have practically no opportunity of comparing notes or, of receiving valuable information—an opportunity that would be given themif such a body of mem as I suggest were sent to the Dominion. Apart from being present at the seat of government at the time of the coronation ceremony ; the British troops would visit othoi parts of the Dominion much in the same way as was done on the previous occasion when representatives of the Imperial land forces were in New Zealand. The visit of the troops just referred tc was very helpful to the officers and men of the New Zealand forces—a fact oi which I have had much confirmatory evidence from New Zealand officers anc men interested in the Dominion having the best system of defence on the line: recently authorised by Parliament. Ii addition to the presence of Britisl troops I also hope that there will b< three British warships in New Zealanc waters at coronation time. I am no suggesting these matters from othe; than a practical standpoint. The peoph of Now Zealand are loyal to the. core and I am certain that they are anxious to havc'thc coronation of the King cele brated in a fitting manner. This will I am-quite certain, be done as far a* the people of New Zealand are concerned, but it woiild add to the effectiveness of the celebrations from an Im perial standpoint if we had present ir the . Dominion representatives of botl the sea and land forces of the Empire."