Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 1911. MR. J. ALLEN AND THE PREMIER.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12396, 4 March 1911, Page 4

Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED E VERY EVENING. GISBORNE, SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 1911. MR. J. ALLEN AND THE PREMIER.

"I hope tho Prime Minister will realise that ho is going Home fully accredited by everyone of .us % " Mr James Allen, M.P. for Bruce and a leading member of the Opposition-, in uttering these words very .happily expressed the prevailing sentiment in the Dominion on the departure of Sir Joseph Ward to represent New Zealand in so #reat a gathering as the Imperial Conference. In the* course of an address to his constituents at Milton, Mr Allen took occasion ,to refer to several questions which will come up 'for consideration at the approaching meeting in London. Dealing first with the proposal to set un an Imperial Council of State, Mr Allen regretted that the resolution was not more definite ; for although he entirely ape proved of the establishment of an advis ory Council, the potion to be moved by New Zealand's representative did not, he •said, make it clear now the advisorybody is to be constituted. It will be generally conceded that in such cases the first step to takte is to affirm a proposi tion, leaving the details' to be subsequently discussed and settled. Sir Joseph Ward is following the usual course, and he will bo 911 much safer ground than if ho overloaded the resolution with elaborate details, every ono of which would lead to* prolonged discus sion, thus imperilling the main proposal. Mr Allen's idea, as to what is immediate ly possible is that the High Commissioners of all the dominions should be dome a secretariat — to sit together from time to time after the Imperial f Conferences have dispersed,— that a member of the Britisln Government shoytld preside at such meetings, and that they should be an advisory body, — not of tho British authorities, but of each of the separate dominions. This secretariat might consult with the Imperial General Staff on questions of defence, and be consulted by the Imperial "Government .on all questions of general interest to the colonies; It will be noticed that Mr Allen suggests that the Imperial Conferences should meet periodically, ns has been already arranged. He is practically in agreement with General Botha, Primo Minister of United South Africa, who thinks that the High Commissioners can do all the work if they aiosproperly selected. The Primo Minis ter of New Zealand has stated that the most important business to be' disposed of at the coming conference is the military and naval defence of the Empire, and in his farewell speech at Christchurch he went furtbpr than he has hitherto gone in justification of the policy adopted by New Zealand in contributing to tl*e maintenance of the Imperial Navy rather than creating a fleet of our own. Up to the present time all the Prime Ministers, whife upholding the policy adopted by their Governments, liave studiously avoided commenting on the course decided upon by other Governments, and ' it is just as well that attitude should be continued. Sir Joseph Ward said that Canada "and Australia had declared for independent navies, wheteas New Zealand had declared for attachment to the old navy; he believed New Zealand's policy was the fight one, and that it would have** been better for the other countries if they had adopted the same policy.. It seemed to hint that for ono mdlion people to, have a navy of its own would mean stagnation and retrogression : ,it. would mean the expenditure of ten" millions every ten or fifteen years for the semblance of a navy — for warship*, had; to be Teulnced every- fifteen years, and it. would- cost a million a year for maintenance. It would, 'mean increased taxation and the establishment of militarism. Canada and Australia Have given good, reasons for the naval

defence policy they liave adopted. It is* better for the public men "of each dominion whilst carrying out the policy they believe to be best in the interests of their own country and the Empire generally to abstain from commenting upon the course which others have deemed best to take. Reverting to the question of the constitution of the Imperial Council or Conference^ there seems to be a substantial agreement upon several points, viz. (1) That it shall consist of the Prime Ministers of the self-govern-ing colonies (the suggested extension of the membership to include India and the Oown colonies has not yet been fully considered) ; (2) that the present system of the (Governments of the selfgoverning colonies communicating, through the Governor, with the Home Government shall remain absolute ; (3) that the High Commissioners may consult with each other and. be consulted by departments of the Imperial Government, but they are not to be given a status which will make them as a body an intermediary between the Prime Ministers when the Imperial Conference or Council is not sitting ; (4) that questions of importance to the different self governing countries are to be subjects of direct correspondence ; and (5) that independence in respect to their internal affairs shall be maintained by each of the self-governing dominions, — Ministers being responsible to their own Parliament and people only.