THE COLONIES AND THE MOTHER COUNTRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 785, 29 November 1870, Page 4

THE COLONIES AND THE MOTHER COUNTRY.

The following ia from the Times ot £ ept, 20 -.—Yesterday afternoon a conference, for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the value.of the connexion between the colonies and the mother , country, and ; the advantage of, strengthening, the ties which at present unite the,m,. was held in the Council-room of the, Liverpool Chamber of .Commerce. Sir John Lubbock was announced to take the> chair, but he) was prevented from, being present inconsequence; of having to read , a paper at; one of the sectiona of the British A eaQciation, bow, sitting in Liverpool. Sic Stafford , Northcote. in;, Sir John's absence, was called; upon to take the chair. Sir John Lubbock; subsequently/ entered the room. There were also, present Lord Milton, Lord Sandon, M.P , Lord Houghton, Mr K. A. MTie, M.P., Mr John Laird, M.P., Mr B. N. Fowler, M.P., Sir H. Barkley, Sir John Hay, Mr W. Westgarth, lute of Victoria, Lieutenant-Colonel Trimble, and Messrs A C.Stewart, J. J. Still, T. D. Anderson, Clarke (ex: President of the Chamber of Commerce), Aj B. Forwood, W. B.- Forwood, H. Littledale, C. T. Bowman, J. A. Tinne,,&p. Sir Stafford Nonhcote said, as he and<.Tßtood, the meeting had been called, not for the purpose of jpnssing any important resolution or of discusibig any special, plans* but that it was rather a meeting whiph had been called together by*, a few gentlemen who were in^ereit^A »P the colonial question, for the pufpo'ie of talking orer, in an in-.

formal way, rather in. the wy of , a con- . ference, some of the questions.with. regard' to. the relations of Great Britain and, her colo-' nies. The state of that question was that throughout the country, people who felt a considerable interest in the maintenance of the Colonial Empire of Great Britain had an uneasy idea that matters were not quite right ; that, in some way or other, the con- ■ nection between England and her colonies was endangered, and that ideas were beginning to spring up which might lead . to very considerable changes in the re-, lation between Great Britain and her colo* nics — that it was even contemplated by some persons to get rid of the colonies • altogether. (Hear, hear). He thought it; would be a mistake to adopt any resolution of a specific character. What it was fora meeting like that to do was to do what it could to form the publio opinion of this country and the colonies in the direction of . endeavouring to promote a better understand- r ing of the question. Those who were anxious' that that connection should be maintained believed that they conduced to the greatness of the empire ; but there were others who denied this, and who thought that it was . impossible long to retain that connection even' if it were desirable, and that, instead of being a source of strength, the colonies were a source of weakness. That was a mischievous : fallacy which it was especially desirable to dispose of. (Cheers). It was a mischievous, fallacy because it pervaded influential classes/ found its way into the Houses of Parliament and into the ranks of the Ministry of the day;.: — that was to say, if public opinion was setting in a certain direction it was difficult for , the Ministry of <he day to act against it,' (Hear, hear). It was said the colonies were-, a cause of weakness to the mother country, because by largely extending the boundaries-; of the empire they presented more vulnerable points of attack. To carry that argument: further they should also say- that an extended commerce was a cause of weakness, from the same cause. (Hear), Instead of being a ' cause of weakness, on the contrary, he maintained that colonies in the event of war were a source of greater strength to the mother country, because they- acted as harbours of refuge to which we . could have recourse in case of emergency. (Cheers). But they ought not to look at this question as founded < on the possibility of war, which was not normal condition of England. On the con- * trary, the normal condition of England was a condition of peace. Hear, hear.) Then it > was said the British Colonial Empire would') not submit to the domination of the mother country. No one wished or expected tbat it ' would. If the colonies were determined to become independent, no-; one in the mother country would endeavour to prevent them. (Cheers.) . But ., that was not the case ; and it was no nfce> flaunting separation in the face of the colonists continually, because it made them conclude that we thought them a nuisance and* were anxious to get rid of them. (Hear,, hear.) On the contrary, the colonists desired to retain their connexion with this country, because it facilitated very enormously their internal form of Government. (Hear, hear.^i Sir John Lubbock briefly explained the cause of his absence at the beginning of the,, meeting, and proceeded to observe that toft : natural course of events, instead of wenkening, appeared to him to have a tendency, to strengthen, the relations of Great Britain with her colonies, and to express a hope that, while leaving the colonies to manage theirown internal affairs, our relations with them' would be improved rather thun weakened* • (Cheers.) Mr Reverdy Johnson, when Ambassador in this country from the United^ States, once said that he believed the times was not far distant when Canada would jbhv' herself to the United States ; but that remark was received in this country with the good> humour with which every suggestion after, dinner should be received. (Laughter.) Sir H. Barkley spoke of the desire of the colonists generally for the maintenance * ! the relations between them and the mother ; country. ' < Lord Milton thought we should gradually- 1 teach the colonies to rely on themselves, but we should stand by them until they were in ft position to be entirely independent. Lord Sandon said he was , of opinion that the maintenance of the. great British Confederacy, of the relations between the mother country and her o tlonial empire, was a source of pride to every Englishman. (Cheers)* The object ot that, meeting, which was attended by a number of distinguished tnenjdf science, was to join together in endeavouring to eradicate as far as possible the idea that it was contemplated or possible to break up tbe\ British Empire, and that there was a fusion * of the two great; political parties in Liverpool in this, view, showing that the great mindgjof Liverpool were determined in the matter* i (Cheers). Mr Patterson deprecated -any course which would give a party, colouring to the question or would have the appearance of censuring the Government, . This was disclaimed by leading men of both parties of politics in theifqom. Mr, WestgartOi late of Yietoria,- showedW that the feeling of the colonists was for the : maintenance of the connexion. , . . , 1 On the motion of . Sir John Lubbock, seconded <by Mr Fowler, M.P., it was unanimously resolved,^-- . " That this meeting, appreciating highlythe'importance of the colonial portion of the British Empire, desires to nee the relations . between the mother country and the colonies maintained and improved." Onthemotion of Mr Tinne, Chairman aof~ I the West India Association, a. vote of thank»f to the chairman terminated the proceedings^/ .