A.—sa

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BEI'OHT OF I'KOCEEDINGS OK THK CONFERENCE.

and saves a lot of time and trouble. You can come in at any time, and go out at any time. You have an opportunity of trying it, and if you don't like it you can go out. lSut it keeps the Colonies and Great Britain entirely separate. Sm WILLIAM LVNK: 1 don't think so. I really cannot agree with Mr. Cox on that. Hon. W. M. HUGHES: What do you apprehend is the danger? Sir WILLIAM LYNE: The danger so far as this is concerned is. it will have a moral, if not a legal, effect upon I'.ist treaties with which this is going to interfere. Hon. \\ . M. HUQHES : There is only one way a treaty can be accepted by Australia, and that is alter discussion of the terms of the treaty by the Parliament of that country. Very well, if the Parliament of the country having discussed the terms of the treaty in the same way that they .iiseiiss anything else, affirm il is a desirable thing to come in they can conn- in. and if they do not like it. they can go out after L2 months by giving notice. I don't sec that it is any difference from any other legislation, except that it can be repealed by just a formal notice. Mu. (OX : You ask the Foreign Office to give notice, and in 12 months it is all over. Hon. DUGALD THOMSON : One point Sir William Lyne does not seem to see in this matter is that it is only list, where Australia has adhered to a treaty, that theie should he a provision in their Act of Parliament enabling that adherence to be carried into effect, which cannot new be done if any of their laws are adverse to that treaty. Siu JOBEPH WARD : I am quite clear in my opinion upon this point. I prefer to see the resolution carried, because it distinctly states that a colony is not to be bound to any treaty to which it has not adhered, and I think it is very important we should carry it. Sm WILLIAM LYNE: We have passed a resolution already, that the Colonies are not to be bound by any treaty they do not agree to; then what is the necessity for this at all ? M ii. COX : It is what we may call a rider. Sm JOBEPH WARD: We do not do any harm by saying we elo not object to those treaties. We have the light by our legislation to legislate out of those treaties. Sir WILLIAM LYNE: I am absolutely opposed to it, and I will ask to press my amendment because it is going to interfere with the very thing we are fighting with the British Government for. Here is the Act, and the British (lovernment have informed us that it is an infringement of the treaty, and we say it is not; and we are going to make our representations to the British Government. I find it does interfere with Morocco. Well, I think Morocco should not stand in the way of our legislation. Hon. DUGALD THOMSON : You were against the very point you are: sticking for. Hon. W. M. HUGHES : It says, "to which they may "hereafter adhere." It does not apply to every treaty. Sir WILLIAM LYNE : I say we have every provision lor putting into our law, according to a resolution already passed, the provisions under which we are going to make an arrangement with the Imperial Government, and whyload that with anything more at the present time? I think this goes a great deal further, and I must be allowed to give my opinion. Hon. W. M. HUGHES: You ought to give a good reason. I must be allowed to have my opinion, too. Sir WILLIAM LYNE: You are quite welcome to have it. The CHAIRMAN : I think we can accept Sir Joseph Ward's suggestion. • Sir WILLIAM LYNE : But I have given notice of an amendment. I feel very strongly on this matter. It is the same as Sir Joseph Ward's.

Sm JOSEPH WARD : May 1 say Sir William Lyne's V lew would i.e quite right ill my opinion Hon. W. M. HUGHES : Say in which they have concur! cd, which is practically the same. Sir JOSEI'H WARD : It is the same as mine. .Mu. COX : It is the usual phrase "adhered." Siu WILLIAM LVNE : New Zealand is in our position. Hon. DUGALD THOMSON : It docs not affect the dispute. Sm JOSEI'H WARD : 1 want to say that upon one point ret erred to by Sir William Lyne in reference to the former resolutions, he would he right if those resolutions suggested that legislation should be introduced to give effect to the resolutions, but nothing of the kind has been suggested, so that that point referred to by Sir William Lyne and its application lo this does not, in my opinion, hold. Sir WILLIAM LVNK: What right has this Conference to say we are going to put any resolution into effect ! Sir JOSEPH WARD : 1 think we ought to put this resolution on the Statute Book for the reason I have given. We arc adhering to some of the treaties, and we want to iiave an express provision safeguarding any treaties to which we have adhered. If we wanted to object we should nave done so by special despatch. We have not objected. iSo I conclude we want them in operation, otherwise we would have rejected them. Now we cannot do any harm by saying that so long as it is treaties to which we have adhered. If we put that in, we cannot do the slightest haim, and it is not going to affect the matter one way or the other. It won't do Sir William Lyne either good or harm in that respect. Hut 1 want to be sure that we are not going to lie asked to give effect to treaties we have not adhered to. Mr. COX : Certainly not. Thk CHAIRMAN : the form of your resolution will make it clear. I will put it in the form amended by Sir Joseph Ward. Sir WILLIAM LYNE : 1 object to that. 1 ask to have my resolution put. lin. CHAIRMAN : If you don't mind, I have to put the resolution first of all. 1 will read the resolution as it is proposed to the meeting, and then I will read the amendment. Sir WILLIAM LVNK :My amendment. 1 submitted it as soon as 1 came in. The CHAIRMAN : You moved it as an amendment. Sir JOSEPH WARD : I move it as an amendment. The CHAIRMAN : I will read the resolution of the British Delegation : —" That it be recommended to the " Australian and New Zealand Governments in any future " Merchant Shipping legislation to insert an express pro- " vision safeguarding the obligations imposed by any "treaties to which they have adhered.'' To that Sir W illiam Lyne has moved an amendment. Siu. WILLIAM LYNE : I moved the original resolution before that was submitted. 1 don't know why I am to be cut out in this way. I moved an amendment on your resolution first, and if Sir Joseph Ward is going to bring in an amendment he should come after me. I moved the original, and you are putting Sir Joseph Ward's first. The CHAIRMAN : We have accepted his amendment. Sir WILLIAM LYNE : That does not matter. Tin; CHAIRMAN : Very well, I will put your amendment. Your amendment is this, to leave out all the words after "safeguarding the" to the end in order to insert the words "possibility of any interference by any treaty " rights unless those rights have been expressly concurred "in by the Colonies." Hon. W. M. HUGHES : I want to strike out all the words after the word "treaties" and insert the words " in which they may concur."