NATIONAL UNITY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3249, 20 June 1911, Page 5

NATIONAL UNITY.

PARTYSYSTEM NOT INCONSISTENT

MR. BALFOUR’S IDFAL.

CANADIAN PREMIER. ON PREFER-

ENCE

r UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT. LONDON, June 18. Mr.. Balfour, presiding ar luncheon at the Constitutional Club, in honor or the oversea Premiers, said he rejoiced that the latter should honor the club. The Premiers were themselves party politicians, and. knew that the party system was essential to the working ox free institutions of representative government. Therefore all were aware that the party system was not inconsistent with national unity. They welcomed them to a party gathering, as that was in no party .spirit, but recognising their business here could only be conducted through the Government of the country for the time being. Their visit concerned the development of the greatest experiment ever made by a Government. The time might come when the great and growing dominions would feel it preferable to go their own way like, adults of a family . That mignt happen; the worldly wise would say it was probable, yet he thought there was a higher and better way. He dreamed other dreams for the future. •He thought as they more thoroughly realised that in every community of the Empire each was to manage its own affairs,'i, carry out its own life, make its own experiments as a political atom, it would be upon that solid basis they would build up something the world had never seen, a coalition of free, selfgoverning communities, conscious that they were never more masters of their own fate than when recognising that they were parts of the great whole. They saw beginnings to-day whereof posterity would see full fruition. Sucn conferences as those now proceeding would help towards the realisation of their ideal, and the great cause whereof the visitors were .laboring. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, in responding, said that the Canadians had hoisted the policy of British preference to the topmast. there to stay. Reciprocity with the United States would not involve the slightest danger to the Motherland’s interests. Whatever privileges were granted to others were given equally to Britain.