IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 19, 17 July 1911, Page 5

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

OFFICIAL REPORT PUBLISHED. SIR JOSEPH WARD HECKLED. MORE ABOUT THE DECLARATION OF LONDON. By Cable —Press Association —Copyright. Received I<s, 5.5 p.m. London, July 15. The Imperial Conference proceedings, covering 400 pages, have been published, but do not include a record of the Defence Committee. The Conference's daily precis furnished reasonably good reports. Sir Joseph Ward was vigorously heckled over his Imperial Council scheme, especially in regard to whether he wanted a Council of State for a Defence Parliament. He was also heckled for the vagueness of the scheme, his speeches going beyond what his mere resolution led the Conference to expect. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, discussing the Declaration of London, stated that Canada did not think it could take part in every war, and as her fleet might not be called on to participate it was better to leave the chief partner to negotiate the Declaration.

In reply to Mr. Batchelor as to whether there >vaß any probability of an agreement in regard to the conversion of merchantmen, Sir E. Grey pointed out that Germany was the chief opponent, and England was in a small minority on the point.