THE COLONIAL CONFERENCE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8795, 24 April 1907, Page 2

THE COLONIAL CONFERENCE.

Press Association.—Copyright. i London, April 23. The Daily Chronicle says the Imperial Conference secretariate is belittled iusome quarters as a triumph for Bureaucracy, but v/e trust Lord Elgin will not so interpret it. However ably manned the Colonial oilico may bo, it does not enjoy tho whole-hearted confidence o£ colonial opinion. The secretariate should be so organised by the infusion of actual cofonial experience as to command nd equally deserve confidence.

Mr Deakin's Proposals

Mr Deakin, in an interview, said that the Colonial Office was sometimes obstructive, and almost hostile, almost always unsympathetic, ihe Premiers acting with him wanted the business of the autonomous colonies handled by different men and 1 by different methods from those used with Grown colonies. They aimed at the creation of a new small department which, while in a certain senso some part of tne British Public Service, was yet separated from all other offices, and, it possible, from particular British interests. Its function would be to deal with all important questions peculiar to the autonomous colonics, and if it were under the British Prime Minister it was unlikely that he would have much time to be meddlesome, and pretty certain that he would accord sympathetic treatment, because the Department would represent besides the United Kingdom all the fellow Premiers belonging to the Conference. Mr Deakin said the' Premiers would contribute to the cost of a Department ol highly competent experts upon a, population or any other basis, but i/rd Elgin and Mr Churchill optho scheme. Mr Deakin and his supporters wanted men who had lived in Australia, or had sufficient acquaintance with the outlying dominions to be able to act with knowledge of their wants. The J3ritish Government, alter consideration, declined the proposal, declaring it must be loft to its own Colonial Department. Mr Deakin sharply retorted, We want a joint department, to do our work as well as yours. Lord Elgin s assurances respecting the constitution of the proposed Secretariat were most vague, and unsatisfactory, as probably a remodelled Colonial Office would soon fall into the old grove.'' The position of Governors as a channel of communication remains unaltered. Lord Elgin's suggestion that Premiers must not ignore the value of Governors as means of communication was received in silence. ' The Premiers entertain great hopes of securing all "they want at the next Conference. They anticipate that the present expedient will brea* down. The Premiers are willing to try the expedient, since its failure will deprive the Colonial Office of its main grouud of objection to the proposed change. Lord Elgin even greatly resented the presidency of the Prime, Minister as a blow to tho Colonial Office, which opposed anything of the nature of a Secretariat, aud intends to minimise its importance. Mr Deakin attaches importance to securing recognition of the principle of cue vote one Government, also to tho recognition ot the equality of Governments.

A Reply to Belt!. ✓

Answering Mr Reicl's criticisms, Mr Deakin says: "My original proposal was carried, except that the Secretariat was loft under the Colonial Office instead of the selfgoverning colonies, and all their business and the Conference being placed under the Prime Minister. The difference between Sir Wilfrid Laurier and myself is that ho wished the Conference to-foe under the supervision of the Colonial Office, and I think there is no need of supervision in that sense by any British Department, and ho ought to be responsible only to the head of the British Government, who should be the only responsible Minister to deal with us ciTicially."

Fvlr HaSdane on Defence

Ac the resumed mooting of the Imperial Conference, Mr Haldano moved that the Conference, without ■wishing to commit the Governments represented to immediate action, recognised the need of developing throughout the Empire the conception of a General Staff, recruited from the Empire's forces. The staff should become the means of fostering tho 'study ;of military science, collecting and' disseminating military information and undertaking the preparation of a scheme of defence oil a "common principle without m the leasfintertering 'with the quos tious of command or administration, guch staff would bo capable of advising the various Govemmcuts regarding the direction of war and military organisation throughout the Empire, The resolution was carried.