A.—s

42

CHAIRMAN : Do you want an answer offhand ? Mr. DEAKIN : I should not object, but do not expect it. There have been treaties. My memory, I think, recalls a Roumanian commercial treaty, and I do not recall from memory—being here absent from my office —any communication with regard to it, though I by no means assert "that no communication was sent or received. There are one or two other treaties which I think have been negotiated since that date, on which I should be glad to be supplied with information to supplement this interesting paper. CHAIRMAN : I am informed by the Secretary that treaties are sent out in a general despatch. Mr. DEAKIN : If I might have a list of the treaties sent out to us, I should be obliged. Further in the course of his remarkes, Sir Wilfrid Laurier alluded to my'suggestion of the Presidency of the Prime Minister at future Conferences. That is one of the conditions which appear to me to be worthy of deliberation by this Conference, so soon as we pass from the general question. It appears to me that this suggestion would raise the status of the Conference; it would place the Governments represented here in precisely the same position in every respect, and is therefore of value and of weight. If the Prime Minister of Great Britain presided either in fact or by deputy at meetings of future Conferences, there is no doubt that greater prestige would attach to them where prestige is most important, especially in the outlying dominions. That is part of the proposal which we made as to ex officio representation. It is not intended in any way to ask for particular persons or in the least degree to reflect upon any other members of His Majesty's Government. The Secretary of State for the Colonies would no doubt be the deputy whom for most purposes the Prime Minister would select. But if the Prime Minister did not expressly select a deputy, perhaps the character of these meetings would be emphasized by the adoption of the proposition which I think fell from my friend on the left at the previous meeting, that the senior Prime Minister present from over the sea might very fittingly preside at some, at all events, of the meetings of conferences of this kind in the absence of the Prime Minister of this country, and perhaps in the absence of his immediate or usual deputy. That, too, may appear to some to be a comparatively formal question, but if it were needed to convey by means of an object-lesson to the dominions beyond the sea a true perception of the generosity with which we are treated here, and of the footing on which the Government of this country has always consented to meet us, T do not think any object-lesson more expressive than that could be obtained. Ido not dwell upon these points as of importance in themselves, but the number of people who are liable to be impressed with an idea, or with a suesrestion of a principle, only, or most effectively, by some such means is great. lam sure the Secretary of State for the Colonies does not suspect me of any other motive than that of adding to the dignity and usefulness of this body. The suggestion which I have the temerity to make as to the association of the self-governed communities with the Prime Minister, was, I felt fully aware, open to severe criticisms, but it is recommended very strongly for special reasons. Tt is a symbol; it is a recognition parallel with, and exactly of the same character as has been embodied in the phrase that this is a meeting of rrovernments with governments, or Prime Ministers with Prime Ministers, as Sir Wilfrid Laurier happily put it. Again, the idea passed

Second Day. 17 April 1907.

Proposed Imperial Council.