CEREMONY AT MANCHESTER.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12246, 21 June 1909, Page 5

CEREMONY AT MANCHESTER.

PATRIOTIC SPEECHES BY DELEGATES. ' ■■■'■ ■■'.

Received June 21, 5 p.ni

LONDON, June 20

At a banquet in connection with the Manchster ship canal there was a large company present. It included the Lord Mayor and a large number of leading business men, and several delegates to thm Imperial Press Conference

Mr Ashworth, President x>f the Chamber of' Coimnsrcej deprecated the beating of the Imperial Drum, and declared that thio dire foreboding of a rupture between the Motherland and her defend oncies had little countenance in commercial circles in Manchester.

; Mr Ward ■ (Sv'lney) said that no. serious diminution in Australia's trade was likely in the near future whatever Britain's fiscal policy might be. Australia, being a gold producer, .could not be paid in gold for her wool and dairy produce. Eighty per cent, of Australians wero native born, and^they would never sco England unless some extraordinary revolution in the methods of transit was brought- about. The problem of the Australian^press was to make the native population understand Britain. The delegates, upon their return, would strive- to shape thei policies of 'their-papers with a view of doing this effectually.. In the event of Britain losing command cf thb Atlantic, Canada would be abb to secure safety by lifting her finger to the United States and becoming merged therein, but Australia . might fall into the hands of a Power that would force the people to learn a new. language and. adopt other social habits. ~ Hence an open ocean ( route waa a matter: of life and death, to Australia. In time, the United, Kingdom's navy . would. become' a united 'Empire navy. One of the. most distressful, as.pects of English life was the living conditions of some women and'children in English", cities. "Such deplorable sights, cwere.; impossible in Australia. ;,• s Could hot England join the colonies in bettering the lot of the poor.

Mr Douglas (Auckland) said the. Press delegates . would return with a deeper conception ;of the greatness .of the Motherland and a warmer affection for. her and her people.

Mr Temperley .(N.S.W.) declared that on the question of Empire there was not aJjarring note among the colonies' press representatives. All agreed that : the colonies must stand , together y in . comjmon defence when the hours of trouble

arrived