COLONIAL CONFERENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13875, 12 April 1907, Page 5

COLONIAL CONFERENCE.

CLOSER ALLIANCE AND COOPKRATION. Press Association—By Telesraph—Copyright. LONDON, April 10. Tho Pall Mall Gazette says that the visiting Prime Ministers aro entitled to meet, tho British Prime Minister (Sir H. Canipbcll-Bannerman). They claim the status of partners and equals, and have not crossed tile sens to participate in Oxford Union debates, which arc to ho summed up in an amicably deprecatory key by the Colonial Secretary. The Home Radicals have not noticed the progress of events in the outer Umpire. Tho colonies aro intent on closer alliance and co-opera-tion, and even if the Government treated that ambition indifferently they can still draw closer iho union among themselves. Trade preference is the key to identity of interests, and is the secret of amity. Tho visiting Prime Ministers consider that Sir H. Campb-.'ll-Bannerman ought to preside, but add that the matter is entirely one for the decision of the Home Government. METHODS OF PROCEDURE. LONDON, April 11. (Pvcccivcd April 11, at 9.41 p.m.) The Prime Ministers discussed with Lord Elgin the methods of procedure, with ,11 view to economise time. They expressed a strong opinion that the conference was of sufficient importance to justify Sir Henry Campbell-Bamierman's presiding, at anyratc at the opening. It is almost certain that the Prime Minister will agree As regards the Prime Ministers' desire that Ihe press- should be admitted, the British Government is unlikely to acquiesce. PREFERENTIAL TRADE. Mr Dc-akiu has been inundated with requests from Tariff Reform Associations and sympathisers urging him strongly to advocate preferential trade. THE VISITING I'RIMB MINISTERS. The municipality of Edinburgh will confer the freedom of the city on the Colonial Prime Ministers. Mr Reeves (the High Commissioner for New Zealand) and Mrs Reeves, oil behalf of the New Zealand Association, gave if reception to Sir Joseph Ward. About 250 people were present. Sir Joseph and Lady Ward attended the Jewish wedding of Mr Moss Davis's daughter Ruby to Mr Harris, of London. Many New Zealajiders, including Dean Fitckctt wero present. At the reception Sir Joseph Ward, in proposing tho health of tho bride, announced tho 'recei*: of a. great number of Auckland felicitations, and said be hoped the marriage of an esteemed New Zealaniler to a Londoner was emblematic of closer political union. Sir Joseph Ward and party dine on Tuesday with the Prince of Wales. Sir Howard Vincent gave a luncheon to members of the House of Commons, Sir J. 6. Ward, Sir W. J. Lyne, and many Ministers. Mr Dcakiu was unable to be present, ENGLISH COMMENTS. (Fnoit Quit Own Coekespondent.)

LONDON, March 1. Lord Elgin's circular despatch to tho Goyernors-tieneral and Governors of tho various British colonies with reference to the coming Colonial Conference and its proceedings, although dated so far back as January 4, has only now been allowed to become public—at least, it wan not permitted to bo published in this country until tho day before yesterday. As regards the conferenco and its proceedings, Lord Elgin says: "It is probable that three sittings might bo conveniently held in each week, and that (he conference may bo expected_to last from three weeks to a month. It is, I understand, desirable that tho Prime Minister of Capo Colony, and probably other Prime Ministers, should be able to return as soon as possible after the middle of IV/ay, and this fact puts a term to tho duration of the conference, since tho first sitting is to lie held oil April 15." Commenting upon Lord .lilijiirs despatch, and.,upon the eoniinn- cxjufcrencc generally, "no; Times says: "Tho importance of the gathering ihat is to be held in April can hardly bo overrated, and recent discussions in tho House of Commons haye fastened attention ou soino of fhe main questions that will come before it. Lord Elgin's survey is painstaking and clear, and so far justifies tho ?laim which Mr Churchill made, and which we should bo most unwilling to doubt that the Government is approaching the ponfcrenco with a full sense of its constitutional importance. Not merely, the best intentions, but no little zeal and business capacity will be needed if justice is to to «onc to the wide programme of subjects in the limited, time at tho conference's disposal. There are certain big questions that 4 stand out from all tho rest. Their dominating importance is ;titested by tho fact that they, and they alone, are put forward by all the three colonies—The Commonwealth. New Zealand, and Capo Colony,—which have suggested subjects for discussion. These finest-ions are tho formation of an Imperial Council, preferential trade, and defence. The first of them was also practically included in a proposal of Lord Elgin's own to discups the future constitution of the conference—a proposal which he explains as covering the Fchcme for an imperial Council which Mr Lyttelton put forward before leaving ofiiec, and winch is now' supported by the Commonwealth and by Now Zealand. Ko 0110, M continues The Times, "can read the resolutions which tho Commonwea.th, New Zealand, and Cape Colony have submitted to the eonfcrence without being struck by the evident reality of their desire to strengthen tho ties of Empire, and their practical grasp of tho means to he employed, , . . New Zealand, while not suETpcsting any further representation lon the Imperial Council'of Defence!, holds that the question of an increased contribution bv the Australasian colonics to the Australian-New Zealand squadron should be discussed. Intimately bound up with tho question of defence, as theso proposals lave shown, is the question of an Imperial Council. . . . Now Zealand likewise supports the formation of an Imperial Council. . . . After tho lesson of tho jNow Hebrides Convention, it is quite certain that the problem cannot be put. on one side; ami .evidently the Australasian Governments are keenly alive lo the necessity for its solution. But it is impossible not to feel that, grave as those questions arc, they arc not. those which occupy tho colonies most. The question which mainly interests them as'a- means of Imperial unity is still that of preferential trade. These despatches show (hat the colonial belief in preference—l heir own policy. as-Mr Chamhcrlam has so often lold us—is as strong as ever; and they also show an important, development on this question which cannot be overlooked. . . . New Zealand, while endorsing the grant of preference to the .Home Country, considers it essential that "e should concede a preference to colonial products that we tax under our existing system. These resolutions are enough to •?. w , ■' .| llc caw for Imperial preference will be fully and forcibly presented in the conference by colonial statesmen. Our own Oovernment has chosen to go into the conference on this question with its hands tied, but not, we hope, with deaf cars. If il gave an attentive and sympathetic hearing to tlio advocates of preference, it uiav possibly have _ an experience which will enlarge its inir.d. The importanco of tho colonial market, and tho precariousuoss of our hold unon it. may bo more keenly biougnt hoino to it. Still moro important are those wider arguments for preference as, a step towards Imperial consolidation, which when stated as powerfully as they are !l ' ; elv to be in tho conference, can hardly be lenored." It is remarked by the Woke: "The lenglhy agenda that is published of the programme of the fourth Colonial Conference, which is to hold its openine meetin? 11l London on April 15, shows that those who are coming from tho uttermost ends of tlio earth to confer with their fellow statesmen of the Empire will have more than enough to occupy their attention durins? ihe throe or four weeks they are mot togethi'i'. Each conference, indeed, since the first informal assembly of 1887, lias been of greater importance than its' predecessor; 20 years from its inception it is already merging into an Imperial Council. with the inclusion of an Indian delefortunate that tho conference will be left perfectly unfettered lo debate the fiscal policy of the Empire."