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13 June, 1911.] Celebration of King's Birthday. [Bth Day. Sir JOSEPH WARD : I beg to move " That in the opinion of the Imperial Conference it is desirable that Empire Day or Victoria Day should be celebrated on the Monarch's birthday throughout the British Empire." The CHAIRMAN : " Celebrated in the Dominions." Sir JOSEPH WARD: In the Old Country too. The CHAIRMAN : We have no official celebration of Empire Day here. Mr. MALAN : No ; but the King's birthday. The CHAIRMAN: Empire Day has never been adopted by the Imperial Government; flags are not flown on public buildings on that day. Sir JOSEPH WARD : I think we ought to suggest they should do it. The CHAIRMAN : I think you had better let us celebrate our King's birthday. Sir JOSEPH WARD : Then I will say, " throughout the self - governing Dominions. The CHAIRMAN : We will see what Sir Wilfrid Laurier says to that. Sir WILFRID LAURIER: For my part, I stick to the 24th May. Sir JOSEPH WARD : Then you need not alter it. I think you will find it inconvenient to have the King's birthday on the 3rd June and Empire Day on the 24th May in any case. Sir WILFRID LAURIER : I am quite willing to say Victoria Day or Empire Day, but now you want to substitute the 3rd June instead of the 24th May, and I feel then that we must suppress the 24th May. Sir JOSEPH WARD : We cannot continue the 24th May in New Zealand and the 3rd June also in New Zealand. I very much doubt whether the people in our country would have two holidays so close together. Sir WILFRID LAURIER : I agree with you, but I understand we can celebrate the King's birthday not as a legal holiday. You never observed the 9th November as the late King's birthday. Sir JOSEPH WARD : Yes ; always. Sir WILFRID LAURIER : In what respect—as a legal holiday ? Sir JOSEPH WARD : Yes. Sir WILFRID LAURIER : It was not so with us. General BOTHA : There is another way out, Mr. Harcourt, if you leave Empire Day entirely out. The CHAIRMAN : This is really a domestic matter for the Dominions, and Ido not take part in it, because officially we do not celebrate Empire Day here.