559

A—s

should welcome the opportunity, but very often having twenty questions a day to answer in the House of Commons, it would not be a very easy matter. In the meanwhile, that not being a possibility, we have to go to the documents which arc before us from our responsible representative abroad. Mr. DEAKIN : Quite so, and I have not a said a single word that conveys ;i suggestion of anything else. Mr. WINSTON CHURCHILL : I should be very sorry if the answer I gave in any way appeared detrimental to the interests of the Dominion affected and was at the particular time contrary to the fact. Mr. DEAKIN : It has been detrimental; these answers are also cabled out, and our people cannot understand how it happens. It has had a very bad effect here because it is one of-a strain of the same sort of misrepresentations. I take it that what we are entitled to expect on these matters is that somebody in a great office like this should be kepi sufficiently well informed of our ordinary public matters so as to be able to put accurate answers into the hands of Ministers. Mr. WINSTON CHURCHILL : I think it would he a great advantage. I very much regret that I have to goto Manchester almost immediately, but I think it would he a very great advantage if our attention was drawn by letter and despatch to any inaccuracies in these statements. Mr. DEAKIN : A letter takes nearly five weeks to reach us, and five weeks to get back, that is nearly three months, by then the whole thing is dead. Mr. WINSTON CHURCHILL : True, the distance is one of the most difficult facts that we have to deal with in the British Empire. CHAIRMAN: If we could all meet across the table like this these unfortunate happenings would be avoided. Mr. DEAKIN : I have finished with that matter, Mr. Churchill. I have no desire to revive these incidents except as warnings for the future and in order to explain the feeling that exists. Lord Elgin may think that on this matter I hold strong views. I do, but they are shared by thousands. On this matter I am certain that you cannot find a newspaper in Australia that has a word to say in defence of our treatment in relation to the New Hebrides. lam now speaking of the way we are treated, quite apart from all issues as to the merits of this and that Article of the Convention. All of those I dismiss. They are settled and accepted for the present, but you cannot find a newspaper of any shade of politics of the least importance that upholds your action. It is unfortunate; it is to be avoided. The maintenance of a good understanding is impossible when all public opinion and the Press become adverse. Especially when we are unable to follow our invariable habit of defending in public any statements made by or on behalf of the British Government. Could it be supposed by us to be necessary to talk about what we have done in these islands? We are paying an extra subsidy to the only line of steamers which plies there, and which would not

Fourteenth Day. 3 May 1907.

British Interests in the Pacific (Mr. Winston Churchill.)