A.—s

620

point you ought to go a little higher and 1 am not quite sure that the people, who, according to your principle, ought to exchange offices, would not be the Ministers. Ido not say that I would exchange posts with my friend on the left; but, even there 1 might give you an instance to show how the thing actually works. There is one office in a dominion beyond the seas which is continually filled by politicians coming from political life in this country, and that is the Vice-Royalty of India; but it is curious that no officer of Viceroy of India has ever sat in the office on the other side of this quadrangle. Ido not say it with any degree of complaint at all, and I can see reasons for it, but at the same time it is an illustration that in dealing with certain questions it is not absolutely necessary for a man to be chosen because of his knowledge of the place from which those questions coriie. Mr. DEAKIN : 1 think we alb feel—at all events, I feel—an immense gain from a Conference of this kind, simply because coming to this country even for so shout a time we do get more in touch with political men and events about which we are reading every week of our lives. It is part of my duty and part of my interest to follow British politics and British affairs, but I have never come here (each of the three times) without getting a great deal of fresh light and removing a certain number of misunderstandings, with which my reading has left me. I feel the many advantages of such visits. Ido not wish to occupy the position of a British Minister, but do realise that presence at these Conferences teaches me a great deal about this country which careful study has not brought me abreast of in Australia. CHAIRMAN : I agree, I was putting the point of the Minister essentially, because that is an exchange from a Ministerial position in this Office to a Ministerial position in the Colonies. But as to these Conferences and opportunities of intercourse, I think I said on more than one occasion I valued them extremely. I only want to say this word more about the secretariat. I hope the Conference will be disposed to give me a little both of time and confidence in this matter. I have not undertaken this lightly, and I do not think it is a very light task I have undertaken. Therefore, it is that Ido not wish to make any direct promises with regard to the subjects which Mr. Deakin has put before us. What I will do is, I will bear those things in mind, and I hope to make an organisation such as will at any rate decrease the chances of friction between this office and the Colonies. I hope, from whaf Mr. Deakin has said, that I shall be met fully in that respect from the other side, because I think he has admited not only to-day, but on other occasions, that he has found this office both capable and willing to meet the calls made upon it. Ido not think myself that if that was clearly, distinctly, and emphatically stated to others beyond the seas by men who could speak with the authority which he can, nothing would more tend to diminish friction and prevent a feeling of vexatious loss or anything of that kind than that taking place. We must look to you, Mr. Deakin, and to you fellow leaders across the seas to represent this Office and this Government as I think you really understand and believe it to be, as one thoroughly determined to do justice and to study, to secure, and protect the interests of these under its charge by every means which it is in our power to use. We have Imperial duties, and Imperial duties sometimes may make it less easy to show the entire sympathy which we should desire; hut I think you will accept it from me that those occasions never come to us without our being determined to perform the duties they impose upon us with every intention to secure the interests of our fellow subjects across the seas. I hope you will excuse my having made that observation.

Fifteenth Day. 14 May 1907.

Interchange of Permanent Staff. (Chairman.)