LORD NORTHCOTE BANQUETED.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2405, 21 January 1909, Page 5

LORD NORTHCOTE BANQUETED.

THE UNITY OF THE EMPIRE

IMPORTANT SPEECH 13Y EARL CREWE. . ; United .Press Association! Copyright (Received Jan. 20, 10.35 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 20. Lord Northcote was entertained at a dinner at the Whitehall rooms. Twohundred and thirty were present, including the Duke of Norfolk, Lord Rosebery, Lord Halsjbury, the Duke of Marlborough, the Marquis of Salisbury, Lords Mount-Stephen, Stratlicona, Milner, Tennyson, George Hamilton, Amp thill, Lainington and Brassev, Mr. A. Lyttelton, the Earls of Langford and Jersey, Lord Mac Donnell, .and the Agents-General.

The Hon. W. Hall-Jones proposed the toast of the King, the Queen,/ and Royal Family, dwelling on the loyalty of New Zealand and her deep affection for the Motherland.

The Earl of Crewe, Secretary of Thate for the Colonies, who presided, proposed the health of Lord Northcote. who, he said, had not returned a worn-out gladiator, laying down his arms for good. On the contrary, ho was one who has his weapons well cleaned and bright, and who knows how soon ho may bo called on to use them again in the service of the Empire. He possessed many .claims to esteem and regard, apart from liis hereditary claims and statesmanship. He had had valuable experience of high office in two great divisions of the Empire. Lord Crewe said he did •not believe that the colonies were -destined to split away .from the Motherland or the Motherland to split away from the colonies. The centrifugal forces were slight and Jew compared with the centripetal forces. He remarked that, as generation followed generation,/, the actual tie of blood must 'lessen to some extent. On the other hand, what a number of forces were making for union. He instanced the very real link supplied, by the Crown, the ever-improving means of transit and communication, the prospect of being able to draw the defensive forces of the whole Empire into a unity which could not be* carried on with identity of methods, but by a distinct understanding what the defence of the Empire meant and by identity of purpose and action. (Cheers.) The Imperial Conference had done much in the past, and would do more in the future to secure greater unity and, if possible, closer communication. An incomparably more difficult problem was how to decide the future relations respectively between the Motherland, the “Dominions, India, and the rest of the colonies. Its solution' required the help of the very best heads in the Empire, and among those there was none whose opinion was more valuable than Lord Northcote’s. If a hearty welcome anti generous friendship made the task of the GovernorGeneral of the Commonwealth in some respeets-easv, yet the occupants of the position were confronted with difficulties requiring exceptional qualities, tact, patience, courage , and impartiality, not often united in one man’s head. It had been Lord Northcote’s privilege to lend a guiding hand to the Commonwealth as it rose from boyhood to the strong manhood it had now reached. He showed that he possessed the very qualities necessary. He had witnessed some difficulties connected with the relative functions of the Commonwealth and the States, difficulties which must be neither .ignored nor overrated.

(Received Jan. 20, 11.45 p.m.)

Lord Crewe continued : They naturally belonged to the delimitations of functions after the foundation of the Commonwealth. If anybody was inclined to take a really serious view of those difficulties he might be 1 re assured by the perusal of similar problems confronting the American Union from 1782 to 1788.- Lord Crewe finally mentioned that the necessity of increasing the white population was a pressing Australian problem, but he believed that immigrants of the right sort would be welcomed warmly. The toast was drunk with acclamation and cheers for Lady Northcote.

LORD NORTHCOTE’S SPEECH.

AUSTRALIA’S GREAT PROBLEM

Lord Northcote received a great ovation. He said he was proud of the opportunity of serving the Enipife in India and Australia. Many present would corroborate him in saying that the people of Australia endeavoied at all times to show the King’s repiesentativos cordial kindness, and the warmth of feeling wliich makes them feel they had ,but exchanged one home for another. Australians of all paities were absolutely agreed in loyalty to the throne and Empire. . Jho King’s great personal popularity in Australia was a very real material benefit to his representatives there. Lord Norhcotc fully endorsed Lord Crewe’s reference to the infinitely greater difficulties attending the American settlement after the termination of the War of Independence. Australia’s difficulties were teething troubles, mere trifles compared with the American troubles. Australia had