January 14, 1905.]
THE DEBTOR.
This was an application for a receiving order. Mr. Otto Kong Sing, appearing for the debtor, said that his client was not able to pay his debts. The liabilities amounted to $30,000 as against $15,000 in assets.
His Lordship made out an order, the Official Receiver being appointed.
ODD VOLUMES SOCIETY,
LECTURE ON THE POLITICAL FEDERATION OF THE EMPIRE,
on
Before a fair number of members of this society at Hongkong on Jan. 11th Mr. E. D. Haskell gave the following lecture imperial federation. Mr. H. E. POLLOCK (chairman), in introducing the speaker, said that the subject on which he was going to lecture had
come to increasing prominence He was sure during the last 30 years. all would listen with very great interest t the remarks of the lecturer on the subject.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
break away from the parent stem, to go its own way. But I do think that while we are able, while the conditions are so favourable, that we should grasp the opportunity, and steadily forge those links of the chain of Empire into an unbreakable bond. By what means, then, is the Federation of the Empire proposed to be accomplished?
I do not think that any definite scheme of federation which can be devised can be put into practice at once, but it is rather by gradual, successive step that the desired and is to be attained. Any attempt to precipitate a Federal Union, before the conditions are ripe for such an event, would, it is not difficult to conceive, be fraught with national disaster.
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of this body will be of an advisory character, to deliberate on and discuss all affairs of Imperial concern, and lay before the Cabinet--the respon sible Ministers of the Crown -the result of their deliberations, and guide them in shaping their policy.
The speaker here read extracts from Sir Frederick. Pollock's letter on the subject.]
Such a committee should serve a very useful purpose, and I think this plan is one which should meet with general favour, and should be submitted, as is suggested, to the next Colonial Conferenc: for discussion. A question which plays an important part in the subject of Fader- Time will not permit ation is that of Defence. me to touch upon it more than very briefly. In all schemes of federation, it must be a funda- There is no doubt that as at present constitut- mentally recognised principle that the self- el, the burden of defence is very unequally dis- governing Colonies should maintain their tributed. In fact it is almost entirely borne by the Mother Country. In the last Budget of the United Kingdom We see that the autonomy. No Colony would tolerate for a moment any restriction of its independence in
figures for the naval and military expenditure the management of its local affairs, and no scheme therefore which in any way encroaches amount to some £60,000,000-a little over. Out upon their liberty in this respect would be of that sum, I believe, if I mistake not, some Mr. HASKELL said-The most dominating regarded favourably by the Colonies. The 35 millions were spent on the navy alone. Now subject in the politics of the Empire, and one principle aimed at is the anion of the Mother the navy is maintained for the protection of the which will become still more so, is I think Country and the Colonies in a federa'ion. in Empire, of its vast sea-borne commerce, the undoubtedly that of Imperial Federation, of which each member will have absolute inde-guarding of its ocean waterways. The Colonies closer relations between Great Britain and the pendence in the administration of its local derive the same security from the navy as the Colonies, between the various portions of the affairs, but that all questions of Imperial United Kingdom. Yet the colonial contri- in the ocean. It is not at all disparaging to Empire in fact the problem of national unity, interest, affecting the Empire as a whole, would butions to the naval expenditure are a mere drop using the word national in its broadest Imperial be relegated to an Imperial Council-a sort of sense. That is a question, of so vast and varied joint administration of Imperial affairs. Now, the Colonies to say so but here again we see the need of some federal system, where the a character, involving immense issues, in which it is just in the formation, the constitution of many conflicting opinions and interests must be such a Council, that the crux of the question burden would be borne proportionately by all.
such
the Consular and reconciled, that decades must pass before its lies. No one will deny that the principle of There are other services, also of Imperial complete realisation; but one thing is certain-admitting the Colonies to the Councils of the that the trend of events in the Empire, the Empire, and letting them take a part in all deli. | Diplomatic services, the maintenance of all an Imperial Federal Parlia- policy of Britain and the Colonies during the berations of Imperial policy, is a sound one, and of which should be borne by the Empire, into existence, all such votes past few years, all tend to show a gradual what is needed is an organised Council, in which and should drawing together a mutual desire for union- Colonial and Home Statesmen will be brought ment come which brings Imperial Federation mor into the together and devote their attention to affairs of could be passed by it, and apportioned to each scope of practical politics, and is leading us step Imperial interest. The ideal which suggests on some basis to be determined beforehand. If we are to share the privileges of Empire, we Those who itself is the creation of an Imperial Council of by step towards its realisation.
Parliament in London, for the whole Empire, must be prepared to share some of its burdens, have followed the progress of events cannot fail
in fact as well as in name, containing representa- to have been impressed by the steady growth of Imperialism side by side with the growth and development of the Empire, that spirit which to-day dominates the whole nation-the sentiment which desires the union and con. solidation of the Empire.
concern,
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of its responsibilities. The burden of defence is increasing every y ar. and pressing more and more heavily on the Mother Country. and is a question capable of a more equitable adjustment.
There is one other question, & most im- portant one,--the commercial anion of the Mr. Chamberlain is so strenuously labouring, is Empire, which the Fiscal Policy, for which intended to bring about. That question is still in the controversial stage, and the Colonial Con- this question will be welcomed, and the outcome ference proposed by Mr. Balfour to consider
I will not refer to it more than casually, as it does not come awaited with eager interest. within the province of my subject, but just to
not say this, that no scheme of Imperial Federa- tion would be complete which does embrace a fiscal union-Imperial Federation will not be complete unless side by side with a political, there is a commercial union.
As to the question of the Crown Colonies,
tives from all parts of the Empire in proportion to their size and population, to administer all affairs of a purely Imperial character. To such a body would be relegated all questions of foreign and commercial policy, and other questions of Dwelling in our minds on the great Empire common interest, such as Defence, and so on, At the same time, each of which we, in this distant outpost, form a part and the control of expenditure for purely -on its vast extent, its varied populations of Imperial purposes. ́every race, creed, and colour, its enormous State will possess absolute self government in wealth and resources, and on those great self-local affairs. Such an arrangement would governing Colonies and Dependencies of the bring together in a common council all those best Empire, each one a powerful State in itself, fitted to advise and deliberate on Imperial affairs, and all owning allegiance to one Sovereign--we in which representation of all the inter. sts of see what immense possibilities lie to our hands, Empire would be obtained, and the unity of the and how essential it is for the continued ex- Empire would be secured. But as I have said istence and permanence of the Empire that its before, and you will readily conceive, it would integrity must be maintained, to which all hardly be expedient to institute such a system It would necessitate in the first efforts must be directed. In talking about all at once. Imperial Federation, we must regard it, in the place a complete change in the constitution of Great Britain, a complete revolution in its first place, as a federation of the Mother Country and the se f-governing Colonies political system, which would hardly be desirable. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Such a Council therefore can only be regarded there is not much to be said. Colonial history. Africa-leaving aside for the moment the at the present day as the ultimate goal or object has shown that as a Colony developed and to which all efforts should be directed. and in increased in wealth and population, when the question of the Crown Colonies and other
the meantime the efforts of Statesmen should be conditions were ripe it has obtained self. Dependencies.
to consider the means, the successive steps, by government, and it is not unreasonable to sup- which this end may be attained. It is thought pose, nay, it is quite within the bounds of pro- by some that Colonial representation in the bability, that self-government will be accorded present Home Parliament would meet the case, to the Crown Colonies as they become adapted but a little consideration would show that to it, and when they obtain that, they can tike
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grave objec- their place in the Federal system. a plan
It has often been asserted that a political such tions. Besides anduly increasing already cumbersome body, and multiplying its federation of the Empire would be impractic
on the basis of American, Australian, or Cana- labours, there would be an unequal and dispro-able, that any attempt to federate the Empire, portionate representation of Home and Colonial
a federation would be doomed to failure. To interests, and Colonial interests would hardly dian federation, would never succeed, that such be served thereby. The periodical conferences
that we can only say that just as it may be deemed impossible to-day, so was the federation of Colonial Statesmen in London has done a great deal towards promoting the consolidation of the Empire, and is a great step towards poli- of Australia or Cauada deemed impossible in tical unity, by bringing forward the desires and its time, yet to-day we see those great com- ment. It has often been urged that federation aspirations of the Colonies, and by the inter-munities each united under one central Govern- change of ideas fixing the grounds of a common
But something more substan- would be impossible, because of the scattered national policy. tial, more permanent, is needed, and the plan areas of the Empire, the vast distances, the described by Sir Frederick Pollock in a state- miles of ocean which separate them, but on the ment which appeared in the Times of some other hand we must remember the increasing weeks back, has the merit of being a practical rapidity of communications, the steamships, He proposes the formation of a Commit- and the telegraph, which are bringing the one. tee of the Privy Council for Imperial affairs, various portions of the Empire more and more are undoubtedly, but British statesmanship has including the best possible representatives of in touch with one another. Difficulties there Colonial knowledge and opinion. The functions
Now, let us regard for a moment the present relations between Great Britain and those Colonies. I believe it was Lord Rosebery who described those relations as loose and indefinable -and why are they so? Because there is not that what I may call-a material stiffen- ing, a material cohesion, which alone can ensure permanency. The ties of kinship, of loyalty, of common sympathies, which bind the Empire together are the strongest possible, but if to these are added ties of common material in terests, we see how much more secure will be the unity of the Empire. If, then, you might ask, if the ties which bind the Empire together are the strongest possible, why all this talk about Imperial Federation, why seek to for- mulate a scheme for anion, when we already have union? It is because, to secure the con- tinuance and permanency of these conditions, by adding to the union of sympathies the union of material interests, and for the defence of those interests. There are some who scoff at the possibility of the disintegration of the Em- pire. Now, I do not know, and I should not like to think, I am sure, that the disintegration of the Empire would be ever likely to happen; that any of those great self-governing States would
that