21

A.—s

they would know what the principal men here were proposing; and every few days they would hear what the final outcome had been. Then they would have their interest kept alive. They would later see in extenso what they had only before seen in epitome. Sir JOSEPH WARD : That was the procedure at the Navigation Conference, my Lord, and I think that to defer until the end of the Conference the expectancy of having anything said here published would be rather a mistake. lam inclined to suggest that in the absence of the Press a synopsis of what took place here every day is a proper thing to issue. Dr. JAMESON : At the Navigation Conference, was it found necessary to submit to each member of the Conference what he had said? Sir JOSEPH WARD ; There were three secretaries appointed, one representing the Board of Trade, Sir William Lyne, and myself. Dr. JAMESON : It was all submitted to you ? Sir JOSEPH WARD : They prepared an outline of the proceedings, and it was submitted to the Board of Trade, and then submitted to Sir William Lyne and myself. Dr. JAMESON : Before it was published ? Sir JOSEPH WARD : Yes. Mr. WINSTON CHURCHILL : Taking about half a column of a newspaper, and this would take longer. Mr. DEAKIN : This ought to be quite twice as long. Sir JOSEPH WARD : I think that publishing the bare resolutions, as was done last time without a report of the discussion on them, would be a great mistake; the people would not know what was taking place and would have not the slightest idea of the views of anybody. Sir WILFRID LAURIER : I quite agree; here is the book of the Conference that was not given to the public. Sir JOSEPH WARD : The papers published were not laid on the tables of both Houses of Parliament until two months afterwards. Mr. DEAKIN : The last is confidential and has not yet been laid on the table; that is worse still. Sir WILFRID LAURIER: I do not see why this should not be published and given to the public as the result of the Conference. The book we had contains the bare proceedings and the official papers, but the discussions from day to day are contained in this book here. I think for my part that this book should be given to the public. What took place at the Conference last time, Dr. Jameson, was that the stenographer took down everything, but the reports were given to each member the following day and corrected by the member, and so corrected they are printed in this book

First Day. 15 April 1907.

Arrangement of Business; (Mr. Deakin.)