AN IMPERIAL GATHERING.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XL, Issue 12541, 12 May 1915, Page 5

AN IMPERIAL GATHERING.

MR CHRIS WATSON IN LONDON

[By Electric Tel. eg ha pet—Cor-YKiciiT.]

Received, May 12, at 11.15 a.m. London-, May 11

The Empire Parliamentary Association gave a luncheon to Mr J. C. Watson, late Federal' Premier, at the House :c.f Commons'. Amongst those present were Sir G. Reid, Mr- Mackenze, Lord Sydenham, Lord Islington. Mr Hareourt, Sir Gilbert Parker, and many members of the House. Mr Hareourt said Mr Watson must be proud to hear of the prowess of the Australians and! New Zealanders at the Dardanelles, though unhappily their loss was concurrent with their great achievement. He could assure "Australia that we should not forget. Mr Watson, in reply, said the Aus-t-railians were pre-eminently a peaceful people concerned 1 in the development of an .immense ■territory. . The present war was not the Mother Country's war; it was our war, and from that point of view Australia, approached it. He was ■gratified that cur troops had, upheld; the glory and tradition of the flag, He quoted Mr Fisher's statement that Australia was with Britain to the "last man and the- last shilling." He said the Australians regretted the necessity for lsrosecuting the war. but it must be prosecuted to the last degree. A suggestion! had been made that an. appeal ■should bo made to the better nature of Germany to bring the war to a eonclussion, but the sinking of the Lusitania was the answer to that suggestion. It was impossible to bring homo to a nation cradled in militarism without ibreaklng the- -back of the military power. Any peace short of this must be a suicidal policy on the part of the Allies. He urged Mr Hareourt to expedite an informal gathering of overseas representatives before the ..conclusion'of. the war; no possc'bi'e harm and a- great deal of good might be accomplished; by getting the mind 1 of the men iove'i'seas in respect of ivar problems which had arisen. Now the statesmen pf the Empire were not likely to subject the Imperial Government to any embarrassment. Mr Watson sails to America to-mor-row.