PREMIERS HONOURED.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8787, 15 April 1907, Page 2

PREMIERS HONOURED.

Press Association—Copyright. London, April 13. Edinburgh University conferred the honorary degree of Doctorship of Laws on Sir Joseph Ward, Doctor Jameson and F. E. Moor, Premier of Natal. Dean Gray in conferring the degrees, remarked that Sir Joseph Ward’s dominant characteristics were perseverance, energy and rare business capacity. London, April 13.

Three thousand in the McEwan Hall witnessed the conferring of the degrees. There was great enthusiasm at the University Union’s banquet. Sir Joseph Ward declared that personally he was veryliopeful that this historical conference would xirovo resultful. It was almost an insult to expect anything else. If nothing was achieved soon there would ho no necessity for conferences. Referring to the creation of an Advisory Imperial Council ho urged that some body was necessary to assist the settling of great matters of Imperial and Colonial concern during intervals between the conferences. Unless the Motherland and her colonies woke up and stood shoulder to shoulder and acted simultaneously and vigorously they would bo unable to obtain an increase of present trade in the face of the persistent efforts of subsidised foreign competitors. Ho admitted that great delicacy was neces.sary with the naval defence problem, but the necessities of the Empire demanded united practical action in order to prepare in times of peace an absolutely effective organisation for way. (Great applause).

Another Banquet. London, April 14. The Premiers had a great recep, tiou at Glasgow. Sir Joseph Ward, speaking from his carriage, declared that so many friendly Scotchmen almost made him think that he was among the residents of the southern portion of Now Zealand, where the Scotch com, niuuity was noted for its captivities in every branch of commerce and in, dustry, The Lord Provost gave a banquet to the Premiers, who inspected at the Clydebank Shipyards the newest Ouuardor turbine steamer, the now University and Art Galleries.

The Women’s Unionist Association of Edinburgh welcomed Sir J. Ward and hoped the Coufere nco would arrange Imperial partnership based on preferential trade,