614

A.—s

inform us of those methods either for our adoption or to enable us to understand the communications that we received. Where this rs not possible, we suggest that men of higher standing in the service, when they could be spared, should spend, say, six months in Canada, and then return here for a time, then give six months to South Africa, or some lesser period if that be too long. Tt need not necessarily be the same officer or officers. By this means a Minister might have the advantage and benefit of having at his elbow men who would be associated with the correspondence and communications relating to these particular Colonies and their constitutions who would be able at once to put him in relatively direct touch with them. These are only mentioned as some of the means which might be adopted. Some means must be adopted. We feel that this Colonial Office not only has grown but will continue to grow. The population in its charge will multiply, its problems will increase in variety. There can be no corresponding increase in the numbers of Ministers or of Parliamentary Under Secretaries of State. More and more therefore must Ministers and Parliamentary Under Secretaries rely upon the permanent officials and more and more is it necessary that those officials should have the opportunity of personal acquaintance with the countries with regard to whose proposals they have so much to say. lam admitting that in Australia itself to understand either the temper of the people, the manner of working our political institutions, or the interpretation that is put upon our constitutional relations is a task of years. It is taking us a considerable time to know ourselves. We are not surprised to discover at this end of the world that because we use the same names as are employed in Great Britain, and often the same procedure, institutions of ours are supposed to be identical with yours which when examined exhibit marked divergencies 1 know no means by which that kind of knowledge can be acquired without personal knowledge. . . , - •, Of course it would be highly advantageous if a certain number of recruits for the Colonial Office were obtained from time to time from young men born or brought up in Canada, South Africa, or other parts, provided they came at an age which allowed them time to become, identified with the Co tony. That is not a matter for me to dwell upon. It the Colonial Office is to continue to occupy its present relations to all these various Dominions it 's perfectly certain that as its responsibilities increase its equipment must increase also, and in that new equipment a conspicuous place, we venture to suggest should be given to men who speak from personal knowledge and who dea with distant countries with whom they sympathise after making themselves familiar with the facts upon which they are called upon to adVl Tt must be remembered that as years go on the number of the men in the Dominions who were born in Great Britain andl its oolitical and social conditions tends to diminish. Our fathers, ot course, were Briton^Truest of them of full age before they entered either Canada, Tustralia or South Africa; but our new generation, growing up under very different conditions from those which obtain in this country has not that knowledge it is only natural to expect therefore that they will take .omrSt different roads, and that they not only will be less understood EXes but will understand less what is really meant by many of the objects and procedures which are accepted as quite customary in this C ° Un Ho not desire to labour the point. I have put it already in a number of different ways, and could put it in many more. It appears to me that, from our Srinof view at all events, a case is made out or laying before the SecrSarv of State for the Colonies the suggestion that some scheme for bringing 7 his officers into direct touch with us should be adopted, and is indeed essential to secure efficiency.

Fifteenth Day. 11 May 19117.

Interchange of Permanent Staff. (Mr. Deakin.)