AN IMPORTANT MEMORANDUM.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13886, 25 April 1907, Page 7

AN IMPORTANT MEMORANDUM.

(Fhom Our Own CoituF.SPOtfDENT.)

. i LONDON, March 15. Ail '-important memorandum on Imperial Organisation, signed by tho Dukes of Devonshire and Rutland, Lords Lytton, Lovat, Milner, Monkswell, Tennyson, and Avebury, Admiral Coloinb, Sir Bartle Frore,- Sir Frederick Pollock. Sir Gilbert Pnrkcr, Professor Dicey, Jlr W. P. Reeves, and about, 20 otlier prominent public men, has i just_ been issued. _ They say that they "think it is now possible to stale in outlino .some essential points on which n general agreement may be reasonably expected. It is understood that the Colonial Conference is not to be superseded by any lieu' body, but. on the contrary, io bo reinforced by endowing'it with permanent machinery, and thus to acquire something 'in the nature of corporate, continuity. There is no question of interfering with tho legislative, executive, or financial autonomy of any self-governing colony, or of diminishing the constitutional responsibility of its Ministers for the time Any change of titlo seems a matter of detail. It has been cliscrved, however, that the ttamo of Imperial Council raises objections in some quarters. On the other hand, a conference in which India is rcprcwnted is, as a. matter of already existing fact, not adequately described as colonial. We would suggest that tlw future conferences will certainly bo called Imperial by many persons, and that there can be no harm in culling them so officially." As to the functions of an Imperial Council, the writers sav:—"Among other epithets, descriptive of tho functions of the confcronoo when put on a. continuous footing. that of 'advisory' has been used; wo beliovo that thoso who' first used it intended thereby to exclude any .suggestion of creating powers which could derogalo from tho authority and responsibility of tho King's Ministers, at Home or ( in anv part, of tho Empire, in their respective jurisdictions. But this terpi may bo open io misconstruction, for tliero are two kinds of ndvico well known to politics ami diplomacy, that which the receiver is free to consider and use in his own discretion, and that, which lie is exacted to follow. Wo desire to cmphasiso our opinion thatonly tho former kind is p'raclicablo or desirable in any such arrangement as is now contemplated; nor do wo think it necessary or useful to fix any official epithet whatever on the operations of the conference. For the purpose of making tho real intention clear in general discourse, ' consultative' is perhaps a belter word than 1 advisory.' Permanent representation of tho colonial Governments in London, by delegates who might be tho High Commissioners or oilier speciallyappointed i>ersons. appears essential for giving tho Imperial Conference the continuity which at present it lacks. The precise manner awl form of this representation must obviously bo determined by those Governments in consultation with the Home Government. Wo will only observe thai wo see no need for any precise uniformity. One Government might choose to empower its High Commissioner, another to constitute a special delegate, or, as a very able Canadian publicist has suggested, to establish n department to be charged with this among its principal duties."

A permanent secretariate and inlellisonce department is advocated, and on this head the memo, remarks: "An efficient intelligence department must command tho services of the best informed persons in all things ' which concern Imperial interests, and this can bo attained by tho enrolment; of such persons in a list accessible to the secretary and tho conference, aiid available in tlio ways to be mentioned. Tliev mijtlit. bo invited io communicate personal information or to serve on standing ' or social committees according to the naturo of tlio subjcct matter. They should include residents in many parts of (ho Empire, their work should be hampered as little as possible by anv fixed routine, '['here is no reason to doubt that much of it would bo willingly done, as the more formal work of Royal Commissions is, without, any special remuneration; on the other hand.

in particular cases public funds might bo usefully a nd profitably employed on inquiries which could not, bo adequately conducted otherwise, and which no existing department is in .i position to conduct. Uniformity of legislation in various matters of common interest is anions the Imperial problems which, wo believe, could bo more satisfactorily dealt with through the proposed body of experts, working with tlm secretariate, than by any other means yet devised. Tho efffet of these proposals is to givo some measure of continuity to the Imperial Conference bv means of a secretariate and inquiry branch."

Reviewing this memorandum, The Times says: "With the general object thus aimed at we can express our most cordial agreement. The necessity for some more regular and permanent form of consultation, between the Imperial Government and tho colonial Governments than is furnished by the ordinary routine of Colonial Office and Foreign Office intercommunication is liecoming more patent every day. Important questions are continually arising which affect the interests of the colonics, and therefore, call for full consultation, bnt which, at the same lime, also call for prompt decision. Under the present arrangements the two conditions aro incompatible. That is tho main lesson of the Now Hebrides Convention and of the Newfoundland modus vivendi. In each case tbero were weighty reasons which urfferl the Foreign Office to conclude a sneedy settlement. In each enso the condition of concluding suc.h a soecdv settlement was the ncplert. of the full consultation with the colonial Governments, which was essential if the settlement was to bo satisfactory oither to the interests or to the Eentiments of. (he colonies affected."