87

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CHAIRMAN : Gentlemen, before we begin business I may just remind you that our numbers are complete with the arrival of Sir Robert Bond. I hope that I may extend a welcome to him from the Conference, and I may, perhaps, mention that I have had the advantage of an interview with him at which I explained what had taken place at the meetings before he was able to attend, and I think he will be able to say that as far as he is concerned he is ready that matters should go on from the point which they had reached at the last meeting. Sir ROBERT BOND : My Lord, and gentlemen, permit me to convey to your Lordship an expression of my sincere thanks for your kind cordial greeting and welcome to this Conference, and to say that it is a matter of very great regret to me, that, owing to circumstances over which I had no control, I was prevented from being here at the opening of this Conference, and from thus having the privilege of listening to the opening address of the Right Honourable the Prime Minister. Your Lordship has very kindly had me furnished this morning with a copy of the proceedings, and I have been able to peruse with both pleasure and profit the words of wisdom and encouragement contained in Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman's address. I am pleased to notice that the Prime Minister in bringing directly under the notice of this Conference the agenda of business that is to engage its attention, did not limit its deliberations to matters therein set forth; that he very gracefully recognised that, owing to the different conditions appertaining in the Colonies, it is scarcely possible that we can all approach the consideration of the various subjects that are to engage our attention from precisely the same standpoint; that our dealings with many of those matters must be necessarily governed by the opinions and desires of those we represent, and that our conclusions must be subject to the approval of our respective Parliaments. The Empire stands before the world to-day as probably the greatest expression of national expansion that the world has ever seen, and this, my Lord, I think has been brought about by due and proper regard for public opinion in the various States or Colonies that comprise the Empire. Therefore, I submit that nothing but good can come from the recognition of the principle that Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman set forth in his address. May T be permitted, my Lord, to join in the expression of regret that has proceeded from the Conference in reference to the illness of that distinguished statesman who presided over the affairs of the Conference in 1902. Probably no British statesman has ever had such a warm place in the affection of the Colonies as Mr. Chamberlain. His illness, therefore, has occasioned the deepest concern throughout all the Colonies of the Empire. In joining in the hope that has been expressed by this Conference I am not only voicing my own heartfelt desire, but T am sure I am echoing the desire of those I have the honour to represent. May I also be permitted, my Lord, to join with those who paid a tribute of respect to the memory of the late Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr. Seddon. We who sat with him in conference five years ago will remember with admiration his strong personality and wide imperialism, and T think all who watched his political career cannot have failed to appreciate that by his decease a great and unique character and empire-builder has passed away. As the Prime Minister remarked, my Right Honourable friend, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, and myself are the only two members of this Conference who sat in the former one, five years ago. lam quite sure that it is a satisfaction to both of us that the vicissitudes incident to public life have not come our way, and that we are again privileged to join in this important Conference. T again thank you, my Lord, and the other Members of the Conference for your kindly welcome to-day.

Fourth Day. 20 April 190'