IMPERIAL DEVELOPMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2928, 27 April 1910, Page 38

IMPERIAL DEVELOPMENT.

A BRITISH COMMONWEALTH. INTERESTING NEW DOCTRINE "" DISCUSSED. (From Our Ow Correspondent.) LONDON, February 4. There was a large gathering at the Royal Society of Arte, Adelphi, . on Tuesday afternoon, when Mr C. R. Enock, F.R.G.S., read a paper on " Imperial Colonial Development: A New Doctrine for a British Commonwealth and its Relation to Britain's Present Needs and Future Existence." Dr Hillier, M.P., presided, and the attendance included Admiral Fremaartle, Sir T. Fowell Buxton, Sir Godfrey Lagden, Sir Arundel Arundel, Sir G. Birdwood, Sir Frederick Fryer, Sir James ' Wilson, Sir W. Treacher, and Colonel Yate. THE DOMINANT ISSUE. Mr Enock contended that we could not as an island nation expect to advance much more. The Imperial spirit which was awakening in the minds of men of our race was becoming the dominant issue of our time. We were seriously asking ourselves whether we could always endure as a leading nation ; we were noting our own, defects, and we should be soon asking ourselves whether we deserved to endure. We were beginning to learn that predominance could be perpetuated only by the strength of an Lnperial unity with our oversea States or colonies. We seemed to be warned that we had reached ths limit of our span as a nation, and that we might now have an opportunity of entering' into a fuller life as a;n Empire. An Empire, if it was to endure, must be a Commonwealth, by which he did not mean a Republic. The demand for a British Imperial Commonwealth was supported by facts of geography, of common sense and business, and of common humanity. We were owners of onefifth of the land area of the globe, and yet seven-tenths of our home population came under the heading of " poor," while on the authority of the late Sir. H. Campbell-Bannerman when Prime Minister, 12,000,000 out of the 45,000,000 of people in Great Britain were on the verge of starvation. Many of the nations who formerly bought manufactured articles from us were now making them for themselves and were protecting themselves against our manufactures by high tariff walls. In fact, economic conditions were forcing the civilised nations of the world to become great manufacturing cavedwellers. He submitted that the evils of destitution, unemployment, overcrowding, and the sufferings which they entailed on such ■ a large section of the community had a simple and natural remedy in an organised- use and wider possession of our Imperial colonial lands and their vast resources. IMPERIAL OWNERSHIP. Trade and commerce alone were not sufficient as a means of livelihood for the British people, nor an .adequate basis by themselves for Imperial unity. It was essential to promulgate a new Imperial doctrine of ownership of Empire under which every municipality and urban district in the United Kingdom should acquire an area of free land in the oversea dominions or colonies, and hold it in perpetuity as a heritage for their people, developing it for their needs and creating new sources of industry and revenue. The details of such a plan called for careful consideration. How was the land to be acquired; how was it to be administered; how was it to be ■held and by whom; how was it to be developed, settled, and., worked; how was the capital to be obtained and what would be the profits? were questions which would be naturally asked. Valuable material both in labour and in land was going to waste. Let one be applied to the other, and while our love of dividends and our regard for humanity could be satisfied the growing menace of Socialism could be overcome. London, rich and powerful as she was, should lead the way in this matter. An association of prominent city, men and Imperialists might be formed to take up a large area of colonial land, raise working capital, and form a new valuable permanent property for the benefit of London. If London began other cities would follow, and the first stone of an Imperial British Commonwealth A'onld have been laid. This would lead to the formation of an Imperial Council drawn from all parts of the Empire for its governance, under the Monarchy, as a Commonwealth. Mr Enoch concluded: " We are shortly to have in "this city a great Festival and Pageant of Empire. Let us hope.that it is not to deal only with the glories of our past, but to set our house in order for the future also. Two pictures of our future lie before us. One is . that of a small, over-populated island with its iron and coal worked out and its fields unable to support a people which perforce will have to decrease from lack of means of support. The other is that of a mighty Commonwealth, of which this island is the heart and centre, all its people living in that sufficiency which a common-sense

organisation, of the Imperial resources has brought about; united by its pride of race and by the bonds of a legitimate self-* interest, without which no human organi* ration can endure. Some might call this a dream. I maintain that it is a probo-, bility. I believe it wall be a reality."--* (Applause.) WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION. The chairman considered that the pro-i blem raised, although complex and con* troveirsial, was deserving of "the most careful consideration. In the colonies there were great undeveloped resources* and he sympathised with the feelings which had actuated Mr Enock in bringing forward this interesting question. Sir John Tavemer said he thought it would be wise for the Home Government and the oversea States to collaborate im the work of peopling the various parts of the Empire. He favoured the establishment of an Imperial Council representing all parts of the Empire, and believed good results would accrue if in any reform, of the House of Lords arrangements were made for the- representation in that Chamber of the colonies. Other speakers considered that -thd time was ripe for ah Imperial Conferenoft on within the Empire,