A—s

120

Fourth Day. 20 April 1907,

Sir WILFRID LAURIER . I would like to look at it on Monday, although I may say I see nothing to take exception to at present. Dr. SMARTT : I presume, Lord Elgin, that does not prevent the statement of the Secretary of State for War being published ( CHAIRMAN : No, we can get that out. There is one Resolution which is still at its third reading, Sir Wilfrid, with regard to Imperial defence; I think we have practically agreed to it, but Mr. Deakin on that occasion wanted to see it again. This is how it ran : " That the Colonies be authorised " to refer to the Committee of Imperial Defence through the Secretary of " State for advice on any local questions in regard to which expert assistance "is deemed desirable, and whenever so desired the representative of the " Colony which may wish for advicewill be summoned to attend as a member " of the Committee during the discussion of the questions raised." Sir FREDERICK'BORDEN : Was that not settled long ago ? Mr. DEAKIN : I thought so. CHAIRMAN : I understood it was reserved in the same way as the other point. Mr. DEAKIN : I did not understand it was reserved, but merely asked that I should be allowed to mention it as I have done this morning in connection with the general question. Sir FREDERICK BORDEN : It was settled by the very constitution of the Imperial Committee itself Mr. Balfour —whose idea perhaps it was— on two or three occasions stated very clearly the objects, and I had the honour myself of attending a meeting of that committee in December 1903, for the very reason suggested in this Resolution. It hardly seems necessary to make it a formal resolution. CHAIRMAN : It was the explanation I gave on behalf of the Prime Minister at the last meeting and it seemed to be acceptable to the Conference. Dr. JAMESON : Surely there is no objection to emphasizing it further by passing it now. Sir FREDERICK BORDEN : It is a work of supererogation, I think. Dr. JAMESON : Does it matter ? It was not the case before that the Committee of Defence could invite a representative of the Colony, whereas now this goes a little further and says that practically a Colony has the right to be invited whenever anything in which it is concerned or upon which it has asked advice is being discussed by the Defence Committee. I think it does go a little further. Sir WILFRID LAURIER : It seems to me simply burdening this Conference with a Resolution about a matter which has always been done. There need be no expression of opinion by the Conference upon this point CHAIRMAN : I am entirely in the hands of the Conference.

Military Defence.