Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1907. EMPIRE'S APPIAN WAYS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10965, 7 May 1907, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, MA Y 7, 1907. EMPIRE'S APPIAN WAYS.

Sir Joseph Ward appears to be giving New Zealand good and faithful representation at the various important functions associated with tlie visit of the_ colonial Premiers to England. Sir Joseph's 6uave, courteous, persuasive .manner is likely to have much mor© telling effect in the counsels with Imperial statesmen than the somewhat irascible and unconciliatory methods of . Mr . Deakin, the Commonwealth ■Premier, and it is satisfactory to note that the New Zealand representative, after he found that the able advocacy which he and his fellow Premiers had given to the cause of preference within the Empire, liad failed to induce the Bri- , tislt Government to swerve fromUhe traditional policy of fieetrade,.at one© came forward with suggestions whicb have been acknowledged as valuable, arid promise to receive a ready, acceptance. Indeed, it would seem that the most tangible and practical results of the present session of the Imperial Conference are likely to arise from the, proposals that Sir Josepii Ward has advanced in what are stated to be Very able and attractive speeches. Sir ■ Joseph lias shown that though the British Government may not feel warrarited in interfering in any degree with the fiscal policy to which they consider themselves pledged, the way is still open for- the encouragement in a practical manner of inter-Imperial, trade. Firstly, he suggests that the Home Government, "with the cooperation ofi the colonies, should arrange by tlie. payment of fixed sums to U'e Suez Canal Council for .the rebate of.^ues to British shipping passing, .'-through the Canal, thus securing a substantial advantage and decided preference to tlie British shipping trade in- one . of the great highways of the world's-- commerce. The second proposition is the establishrhent liy means of large . and fast mail steamers across the Atlantic and Pacific pi a greatly improved mail service between "England; and the colonies, wliich would bring New Zealand' within 21 days of the Homeland. In tins Sir josepii solicits the co-operation of the Home Government, Canada, and the Australian States, and it is very evident, from the; .'sympathetic nature of Mr Lloyd George's speech at the Savoy, that the Campbell-Bannerman Cabinet is giving 'the' matter Earnest and favorably coriieideration. As a third means of strengthening the tie's that' bind, Sir Joseph suggests Use ■■cheapening' of the cable rates to at least orie shilling 'per word, and points out that, this would tend to increase to a very great extent the commercial and' 'social'- intercourse between -communities- in distant parts of the Etnpire and" tlie jjbmeland. The proposal is one that the Premier lias frequently .mooted in New Zealand, and the present' is an exceptionally favorable opportunity for him to liave brought it forward. Doubtleas tho Home Government muet have been impressed by tlie outspoken utterances of. the colonial statesmen "and the support they have received froiri politicians and press in England, with the need for giving greater consideration.- than. -has .hitherto been accorded to the claims and interests of tlie colonies, and we fully expect to have tlie intimation made in the course of a few days that one or other, if not all, of Sir Josepii Ward's suggestions has been adopted.