THE UNITY OF THE EMPIRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2525, 6 August 1902, Page 15

THE UNITY OF THE EMPIRE.

HONOURS FOR CHAMBERLAIN AND KITCHENER. GREAT SPEECH BY MR CHAMBERLAIN. ' LONDON, August 2. Mr Chamberlain and Viscount Kitchener received the freedom of the Grocers' Company. j Mr Chamberlain, in a speech at the dinner, eulogised Viscount Kitchener's patience, tenacity, infinite resource, and chivalrous spirit in the hour of triumph, winning the Beer hearts. Lord Milner was a great administrator, specially qualified to complete the work of Lords Roberts and Kitchener and lay the foundation of freedom in South Africa. If he himself had been permitted to share in the Grocer^' Company's recognition of Lords Kitchener and Milner, it was because in a degree and measure he had been associated with them in the greatest task that could fall to a modern statesman. They had co-operated in endeavouring to attain the aspiration giving us for all time a "united Empire. The defence of British interests and the reorganisation of the newly acquired territories were tasks inseparably linked with a greater scheme of making the Empire more than a mere geographical expression — making it a living entity, each part contributing to the and security of the whole. The victories of peace and war had drawn us closer, and the Empire's quickened sense of common interests and common danger had produced a new and fruitful conception of Imperial destiny. Ideas of kinship and mutual obligation had been substituted for mere pride of possession or a huckstering calculation of profit and lo^s. The lesson of the war to the world, Mr Chamberlain went on to say, was our strength and unity. It behoves us to maintain and strengthen the friendship which we during the war had learned to value. Any impulse of sacrifice and devotion cementing the union attained in blood and tears must not be allowed to weaken. We must cultivate a sense of mutual obligation and responsibility. The educational influence of the Premiers' Conferences was almost as important as the substantial results. The Premiers were animated in an equal degree with ourselves in a patriotic desire to strengthen the links. There were only two avenues by which that goal could be reached : through Imperial defence or Imperial trade. He wa-> aware thej' could not attain the ideal forthwith at a single step. He was inclined to think that " we in Great Britain are more advanced in these respects than even the opinion of the colonies but it would be imwi'-e to force the pace or ask the colonies to do more than their goodwill would suggest." He concluded by saying : "If the fleets for the protection of markets opened up and maintained would not yield immediately an altogether corresponding return, be not the slightest discouraged. Our children were invited to a partnership in the Empire. As they grew to nationhood they would not be backward in sharing even in a great degree the obligations which the Empire entails." He believed the conference would lead to considerable results anfl mark a considerable advance. If so, they might be content at present to anticipate without misgiving the future.

Viscount Kitchener made a modest sneech.

The Lord Mayor, in giving the toast of '-The Visitors," mentioned Sir E. Barton as an Empire-builder. Sir E. Barton, in. reply, referred to the natural difficulties attending a conference representing countries whose interests were so diverse. The successes of British institutions proceeded mainly by evolution. The conference had gone some distance beyond the concessions of the 1897 conference. There had been a quickening of the pulse of various parts of ttiA J&nDire, au encoumzexniuit to

endeavour and desire for cohesion ever stronger in proportion to the closeness of ■ their communication. The Empire was one in sympathy, and. better still, was endeavouring to take steps beyond the preceding ones, which presaged more united action. They must be content with , such steps towards cohesion as were approved by the autonomous parts of the kingdom. They were not fainting under the burden — indeed, the Empire was only beginning to feel its feet.