IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14476, 24 June 1911, Page 3 (Supplement)

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

[ ITS SIGNIFICANCE. • j VALUE OF ITS WORK. j Press As.sociai.ion—By Tel. —Copyright, j LONDON, Juno 21. In liis ppcock at tho final flitting of tlio Imperial Conference, Mr Asquith said that' the dominant note in tho ■ Conferonco was tho attempt to pro- ! mote and develop closer co-opern.tiou through free, frank discussion. The value of tli© Conference and its permanent results must not be judged entirely by the actual proposals adopted, though oven in that respeot tJicy need 1 2iot ioar comparison with its predecessors. riiey had cleared tho air, and now had a better mutual understanding and truer perspective and proportion of Imperial problems. The Conference was significant in respect to the admission of the Dominions to the innermost .part of tlio Imperial household, where vital secrets had bee n laid hare, and that not reservedly. JIo believed that after vSir Edward Grey's exposition, all realised in a mor<s intimate sense the international potation and. its Wrings upon tho problems of government throughout tho Empire Uiider the same.veil of ootoffiSmoo miliTary and naval co-operation had bodealt with in such a way that, wlvl« reeogmsing common obligations, thev acknowledged with oqua! clearness.. t)'obligations to be performed in parts of tho Empire, in ntoerdanoE; v/if h local needs, local opinion, and local circumstances. They oouid not take the -world, or oven thoir fellow-citizcns into their confidence, but if t.'yj Conference had do no nothing else, tit- /-> things would be a, landmark in tho development of Imperial constitutional Irstory. He recapitulated tho work done, saying that ho attached mush importance to what the Conference bad agreed upon regarding the Court of Appel. The Dominions had advanced well - formed criticisms, and' lie beliey-ed they would shortly secure a tribunal poss-ess-:ng the unanimous confidence oF. tho Empire. All would return to their respective spheres with a stronger sciiso ot common obligations, a more com-, plcto confidence in on© another, and a mors earnest determination to work for "the good of tlie whole.

Mr Haxcourt thanked the delegates for their fcind'y references to himself.

3IR FISHER'S OPINION. " RESULTS EXCELLENT," LONDON, Jun© 21. Mr Fisher, on being interviewed, t-a'd. tlio results of the Conference were excellent. Ho would return to the Commonwealth feeling that much had been accomplished, and more would bo possjble in the future by building on the foundation so successfully laid. Mr Asquith. and the Overseas Premiers were photographed in a group after the Conference ended. THE NEW ZEALAND MOTIONS. The Imperial Conference dtsuVb with motions and am.--cd men is brought forward by Sir Joseph "Ward, as x'oiiows: re adnuttunee or the Withdrawn. Motion expressing the opinion "that the Empire nas now reached a stage of Imperial development wiucli ronciu g 10 expid.ent that there should be an l.*!poriui Council of State."—Withdrawn. Motion favouring miiformity of copyright, patent, iradte marks, accident insurance, and company law.—Carded. Amendment, ' ; that this Conference, after full consideration and debate, a-r> proves of the ratification of the Declaration of London." —Adopted. Motion dealing .with the reconstruction of the Colonial Office.—Withdrawn.

An amended metion dealing with deserted wives and children, providing for reciprocal legal Drovision.—Adopted. " ! Motion re interchange of Ciril Seivants.—Adopted. -Motion stating that -no Imperial Court- of Appeal can be satisfactory wlnoh does not include judioial reprc sEntatives of the oversea Dominions.— Withdrawn. Motion urging the desirability of obtaining cheaper cable rates.—Adopted Motion favouring a State-jwned Atlantic cable and telegraph line across ; Canada.—Withdrawn. Mot-ion in favour of an "411-Bed" mail route amended to the - fleet- "that it was desirable that Bncaiu should connect with Canada and Xewfounii<i]]d and New Zealand bv tJie best mail service available "—Carried. unii-ersal p?miy postage and r-ssolution pa-?sc<l bv tlio Conference ir. 1907 r^-afßrmod iiotiou tlint- a. ohrnu of wire- i stations should be Amended, in th* direction of affirm?«.> the dss.r«.b:lJty of S.ite-owned Wirj\ s i° stations, bdag erected. V. fion re double income lax— Hiti!oraTvn. Motion urging that the Dominions should be entrusted with wider legn'rjpowers in. respect to British* and ioreiim shipping.—Adopted. favouring unfformity of alien iin-nugration exclusion laws.—Referred to Royal Commission. Motion regarding .uniformitv of law rNatjng to natnralisntion. Withdrawn. Two motions dealing with uniform"tv of immigration law, and coinage and currency law, very sim'Tar to projkkhJs advanced by otlwr Dominions, Tvere evidently withdrawn ("Press.")