STATEMENT BY MR DEAIN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8911, 24 April 1907, Page 2

STATEMENT BY MR DEAIN.

United! Press Association I—By1 — By Electric Telegraph — Copyright. (Received April 24, 7.36 a.m.)

LONDON, April 23

Mr Deakin, on being interviewed, said the Colonial Office was sometimes obstructive and almost hostile, and almost always unsympathetic. , Th© Premiers acting with him wanted the business of the autonomous colonies handled by different men and in a different method from the Crown colonies. They urged the creation of a new small department which, while in. a certain sense some part of the British public service, yet was separated from all other offices and, if possible, from those particular British interests which it was its function to deal with in all important questions peculiar to the autonomous colonies. If the department was under the British Prime Minister it would be unlikely that he would have much time to be meddlesome, and he would be pretty certain to accord it sympathetic treatment, because he would represent, besides the United Kingdom, all his fellow-Premiers belonging to the conference. Mr Deakin. _aid the Premiers would contribute to the oost of a department of highly competent experts upon a population or any other basis, but Lord Elgin and Mr Winston Churchill opposed the proposal. We wanted men who had lived in Australia or had sufficient acquaintance with the outlying dominions to be able to act with the knowledge of tipeir wants. The British Government, after consideration, declined the proposal, declaring that it. must be left to the Colonial Office, ita own department. Mr Deakin sharply retorted : "We want a -joint department to do our work as well aa yours." ; Lord Elgin's assurances respecting the constitution of the proposed secretariat were most vague and unsatisfactory. Probably the remodelled Colonial Office would soon fall into its old groove. The position of the Governors as a channel of communications remained unaltered. Lord Elgin's suggestion that the Premiers mu6t not ignore the value of the Governors as means of communication was received in silence. The Promiens entertained great hopes that they would secure all they wanted at the next conf eronce, as they anticipated that the present expedient would break down. The Premiers were willing to try the expedient, since failure would deprive the Colonial Office of its main ground of objections to the proposed change. Lord Elgin even greatly resented the presidency of the Prime Minister, ac a blow to the Colonial Office, which opposed anything in the nature of a secretariat and intended to minimise its importance. Mr Deakin attached importance to securing the recognition of the principle of one Government one vote, and also the recognition of the equality of Governments.