7

A.-4

ties now making a further call, ' Call upon New Zealand again, and we will respond.'" "In all parts of the colony, from the North Cape to the Bluff, the hearts of the people are with the sons they are sending away, and, great as the sacrifices may be, they are prepared to make further sacrifices if necessary." " Whatever number of men was required to help to bring the campaign to a conclusion they should go."] [And on the top right corner the following extract from the Premier's speech: "Lord Salisbury says that Great Britain alone must solve this question uninterfered-with. I say that sentiment prevails wherever the English language is spoken. I say this advisedly, and with full sense of responsibility, that if the enemy is determined to fight to the last man, and if those behind urge fighting under hopeless conditions, then theirs is the responsibility. It must be the last man. We cannot do anything ; we must not do anything except say, ' You were in the wrong ; you invaded British territory; you prepared for years to take this British territory in South Africa from us, and as you have done that you must take the consequences ; surrender and you may rest assured that you will receive at the hands of Great Britain generous treatment, and all will be well.' Further, let me say to you now, it may be years—it will take, perhaps, a year before the war is fully terminated. It matters not. It may be that another five thousand men are wanted to force that unconditional surrender that I have just mentioned. Very well; they will have that five thousand as cheerfully as they have had the five thousand that have gone and are going."] Throughout the whole of the tour in South Africa it was most pleasing to find the very high opinion prevailing as to our brave sons who went to the front. The Premier also desires to acknowledge the genuine hospitality and uniform courtesy and kindness and the facilities for travel granted to him by the Government, the military, and the municipal authorities, special trains being placed at his disposal from the time of leaving Durban until his arrival at Cape Town. Leaving Cape Town on the 28th May, the Premier landed in England on the 14th June, being welcomed by the Right Hon. the Earl of Onslow, Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Colonial Office, on behalf of His Majesty's Government, by the Agent-General, and a large number of NewZealanders and others who desired to honour the colony. Of the lamentable illness of His Majesty the King and consequent postponement of the Coronation ceremony it is unnecessary to speak here. By the King's special desire all colonial Prime Ministers received invitations to extend their visit, so as to enable them to stay for the Coronation function and ceremonies connected therewith. This further invitation the Premier accepted, and he wishes here to say that it was also at the express desire of His Majesty's Advisers that the duration of the stay of the New Zealand Coronation Contingent was prolonged further than was at first intended. The following official communication was received in this connection : — Sir, — Downing Street, sth July, 1902. I am directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to state, for the information of the Secretary of State for War, that it has been decided that the departure of the colonial contingents is to be postponed until further orders, and I am to request that a communication to this effect may be made to the officers commanding units in order that they may make the necessary arrangements in regard to return passages. I am further to suggest that leave should be freely granted to the officers and furlough to the non-commissioned officers and men to enable them to visit their friends or to see something of places of interest in the country, under the condition that they must be prepared to return to caniD at any time on twenty-four hours' notice. As regards those who do not desire to avail themselves of this permission, it seems to be worthy of consideration whether they might not be transferred either to Aldershot, or preferably, perhaps, to the camps of exercise on Salisbury Plain, where they would be removed from the temptations of London, and have an opportunity of acquiring some useful military experience. It would not, however, be well to make such a change without ascertaining how far it would be acceptable to the officers and men of the contingents. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State for War. M. F. Ommanney. It is also right to say that the New Zealand Coronation Contingent, under Colonel Porter, C.8., composed, as it was, almost entirely of members of South African contingents, in every way upheld the high reputation of the colony, and by their soldierly bearing and satisfactory behaviour attracted great admiration. They received much kindness and hospitality from our kindred at Home. COLONIAL CONFERENCE. With reference to the Colonial Conference of Prime Ministers with the Secretary of State for the Colonies, the Premier, on behalf of the New Zealand Government, submitted the following eight notices of motion for consideration, of which six were carried in amended form ; one has been arranged as between Australia, New Zealand, and the Imperial Government; and one is at present undealt-with: — Original Notice of Motion A. "That it is essential to the well-being of the Mother-country and His Majesty's dominions beyond the seas that in such dominions where the same does not now exist preferential tariff by way of rebate of duties on British-manufactured goods carried in British-owned ships should be granted, and that in the Mother-country rebate of duty on colonial products now taxable should be conceded." This has been amended and extended as in resolution 12 passed by the Conference, as follows:— " That this Conference recognises that the principle of preferential trade between the United Kingdom and His Majesty's dominions beyond the seas would stimulate and facilitate mutual