59

A.—s

Dr. JAMESON : Referring to the words after " common interest"— " affecting the relations of the Mother Country and His Majesty's dominions " over the seas," are those left out ? CHAIRMAN : No. " That it will be to the advantage of the Empire " if Conferences, to be called Imperial Conferences, are held every four " years, at which questions of common interest affecting the relations of the "Mother Country and His Majesty's dominions over the seas may be dis- " cussed and considered." Dr. JAMESON : That is the point, Lord Elgin. Is it necessary to limit it by saying " affecting the relations "'. It goes without saying, of course, that anything that happens to the Mother Country is of interest to every individual nation over the seas. Why put in that limiting paragraph there \ Mr. DEAKIN : Do you propose to leave down to " the Mother " Country " ? Dr. JAMESON : I should leave it out altogether, and say, " Questions " of common interest may be discussed and considered as between." CHAIRMAN : It was taken from the old resolution; that is how it comes in. Dr. JAMESON : I think the whole resolution might be improved upon. Mr. DEAKIN : Certainly it is of advantage to shorten the resolution; that is one advantage. Sir WILFRID LAURIER : What would be your draft, Dr. Jameson ? Dr. JAMESON : It would be, " four years, at which questions of " common interest may be discussed and considered as between the Govern- " ment of the United Kingdom and the Governments," and so forth. Mr. WINSTON CHURCHILL : Deleting the intermediate words ? Dr. JAMESON : Yes; they are superfluous. • Sir WILFRID LAURIER .I do not see that there is any difference. It is better phrasing, that is all —less words. Dr. JAMESON : Yes, less words. lam always for the idea of limitation. CHAIRMAN : " At which questions of common interest may be dis- " cussed and considered as between His Majesty's Government," and so on; that -is agreed to. The second sentence begins : " The Prime Minister of " the United Kingdom will be ex officio President, and the Prime Ministers "of the self-governing Colonies ex officio members of the Conference." The third sentence is : ' The Secretary of State for the Colonies will be an ex " officio member of the Conference, and will take the chair in the absence "of the President." Mr. DEAKIN : I do not wish to take any objection to the proposal that the Secretary of State for the Colonies should take the chair in the absence

Third Day. 18 April I (HIT.

Future Constitution of THE Conference.