IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 104, 23 June 1911, Page 3

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

FINAL SITTING. By Electric i'ol»*araoh—Copyright I United Press -.Association. \ ■ London, June 21. The Imperial Conference sat at 2 o’clock. Sir J. G. Ward’s motion that it is desirable! tout the question of uniformity in the alien immigration exclusion law he referred to oir \V. Lam ier’s Royal Commission, was carried. , tf.Sir Rufus Isaacs, K.C., reported that the committee had considered the enforcement of the commercial arbitration award. He would move that in order to carry out its conclusion, the Imperial Government and tlio Dominions should concertedly considci whether it was desirable, and to what extent it was practicable to mutually enforce the judgments of the Court, including commercial awards passed. Mr. A? Fisher, speaking of the Suez Canal, said tiiat unless the charges were lowered it might he the duty of the Commonwealth to try to lind relief in another direction. Mr. McKinnon Wood sympathised with Mr. Fisher’s point of view. The State Government always regarded shipping interests as more important than the shareholders’ interests, and had not allowed the" latter consideration to deter the pressing of reductions. Sir J. G. .Ward supported Mr. fish-

er. A precis of Monday’s discussion was issued last night. Mr. Buxton said the principle of the present merchant shipping legislation was fairly plain and simple. Broadly speaking, the law ruling shipping was the code oi the country 7 of registration. That code followed the vessel round the world, but. was modified by flie Dominions’ power to regu- ' late their own coasting trade. Sir J. G. Ward’s proposal was wide and vague, and might involve serious-con-sequences to trade if British ships trailing to "various Dominions were subjected to stringent differing codes. Dominion conditions could not be so effectively enforced against foreigners as against Britishers; hence . the result would he a discrimination which would he a disadvantage to tho Britisher. If they did enforce it against foreigners, retaliation would ensue, the brunt ok which would, fall on the United Kingdom shipping, as Britain was the world’s carrier, and her.trade wag -vulnerable to reprisals. Considerable uniformity in the overseas mercantile marine '-'d already been obtained, and he would strive to extend rather than curtail this uniformity. He hoped Sir J .G. Ward' would not press the motion. • Sir J. G. Ward declared tiiat something in the nature of his proposal was necessary to enable New Zealand to sustain the labour conditions tlie people required. He declined to withdraw his motion. Sir W. Laurier considered it desirable that the position he made dear. Mr. Borcleur recited cases where Canada’s legislative action had been seriously curtailed by the repeal of Imperial Acts whereon Canadian legislation ‘was based, Mr. Pearce claimed that the Commonwealth’s. constitution gave power for legislation on the subject. Sir J. G. ’Ward said the wording of New Zealand’s constitution was substantially similar to the Commonwealth’s; yet the Royal assent was withheld. Mr. Fisher moved in the direction of securing reciprocal visits to the British Dominions of Ministers from various parts of the Empire. He also’ desired the next Imperial Conference to he neld overseas. The question of reciprocal visits was agreed to. Mr. Asquith intimated ho would endeavour to afford an opportunity for one or more of his colleagues to accede to Mr. Fisher’s wishes,' hut doubted the utility of holding meetings abroad. Under tho present method all departments and records were in London at the Conference’s disposal. Mr. Fisher said fie believed- the Conference would eventually meet more frequently than once ie four: years. Ho amended his motion to ask the Government to consider the-pos-sibility of a conference or a subsidiary conference overseas. This was adopted. '.Sir W. Laurier expressed his gratitude, to Mr. Asquith and Mr Haicourt for the manner in which they had earned out the labours of the Conference. The heaviest work 7 fell to Mr. Harcmirt. Ho desired to proclaim .the Conference’s appreciation of the King’s, his Ministers, and the people’s kindness. Sir J. G. Ward endorsed tho remarks, eulogising Mr. Asquith for devoting Ins time to presiding at the deliberations. He appreciatively referred to tho services of the Colonial Uflicc officials. The Conference had accomplished a vast amount of good, especially in the matter of defence. No previous conference had done more valuable work. General Botha declared the present Conference had called into life friendships that, would lead to a better cooperation in tho future. Mr. Fisher believed the Conference, by its work, would lay the foundation of a broader and safer fraternity than had hitherto existed. In the past they negotiated with the Motherland, at her portals. Now they were called to her tuner Councils. Ho felt sure the people they represented would welcome the step. He asked the people not to he too anxious to know all that/ Had bean said by Britain’s responsible •non here to those responsible m the Dominions, resting content with the assurance that the King’s advisors were doing their host in the iiite“‘3st of every subject. Mr. Asquith, m thanking tho Premiers, said lie was confident tho presidency of the Conference would ho regarded in future as one of tho obvious and most important duties of the Prime Minister. » The dominant note of the Conference was the attempt to promote and develop a closer co-operation through free and frank discussion. The value of-,tho Conference and its permanent results must not he judged cntnely by the actual proposals adopted. Even in that respect it need not fear comparison with its predecessors, "hey had cleared the air, and cleared the ground,-and got a hotter mutual i i derstandiug and a truer perspective and proportion of Imperial problems. 7 ho Conference was a significant one in respect to the Dominions’ admission to the innermost’part of the Imperial household. Its secrets were laid hare and not reserved. He believed., after Sir E. Grey’s exposition, ; il realised in a more intimate sense the international position and its hearings upon tiio problems of government throughout .the Empire. Military and naval co-rjpprafion was- dealt with in such a way that, while recognising that common obligations must he performed u; different parts of the Em- ■ pile in accordance with local needs, local opinions and local circumstances, they could not take the world or even their fellow-citizens into their confidence. But if the Conference had done nothing else, these things were a landmark in the development of Imperial constitutional history. Mr. Asquith recapitulated the work

demo, and attached much importance to wliat had been agreed to in regard to a Court of Appeal for the Dominions. They had well-formed criticisms, and he believed they would shortly secure a tribunal possessing the unanimous confidence of the Empire, would return to their respective .spheres with a stronger sense of common obligations, a more complete confluence in one .mother, ami a more earnest determination to work for the good of the whole. Mr Harconrt also thanked the overseas representatives.