A.—s

178

Sixth Day. 25 April 1907.

are going on with we should all have to carry out our own work on our own account if we desire to get the class of people we require in our country. I do not see how you could set up the machinery in the resolution unless you elaborate it minutely, so as to help your country or my.country to get what we want. We are going to have the co-operation of the British Government impartially, as suggested by Mr. Burns. At the same time we must go on with our own work. Dr. SMARTT : Perhaps Mr. Burns would, with the help of his Department, draw up a Memorandum for the Conference, showing how best the tenour of this resolution could be carried out, and also what steps the Emigration Department would take to discourage emigrants going from this country—going to anywhere except British Colonies. Mr. BURNS : I think it may be taken generally that consciously the British Government has never discouraged emigration to any British Colony. Dr. SMARTT : But without recommending them to go to any British Colony, your Department ought to take up strongly the position of discouraging them from going to foreign countries, and to encourage them to go to the Colony of their choice, when so many require their services. Mr. BURNS : The Conference has, by the adoption of the first paragraph : " That it is desirable to encourage British emigrants to proceed to British Colonies rather than to foreign countries," met your point, Dr. SMARTT : No, my point is to know what steps your Department proposes to take to carry out the tenour of this resolution. CHAIRMAN : We will take the best steps we can. We could not define them at the moment. Mr. BURNS : If those steps can be improved we shall be pleased to hear from the Colonies. Sir WILFRID LAURIER : The Conference is obliged to Mr. Burns for his address to us on this subject. Mr. DEAKIN : I am very happy to support Sir Wilfrid Laurier in recognising the kindness and frankness of the Minister's address this morning.

NATURALIZATION. CHAIRMAN : With regard to the subject of naturalization to which we now pass I may remind you that we sent out in December last certain papers dealing with the subject, and the Home Secretary is here to-day to make a further statement to you and to make a suggestion as to the best manner in which the Conference might, perhaps, deal with this subject in its present form. Mr. HERBERT GLADSTONE : Lord Elgin, and gentlemen, we are, I take it, in general agreement that it is most desirable to attain uniformity in this matter by Imperial legislation as far as possible. We recognise that this

Emigration. (Sir Joseph Ward.)

Naturalization.