CO885-(16-18) — Page 636

This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.)'

Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. January 1907.

Miscellaneous.

No. 198.

CONFIDENTIAL.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

C.O.885

Reference :-

18 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

COLONIAL CONFERENCE, 1907.

1. THE main reason for inviting the State Premiers of Australia to the Colonial Conference is that they want to come. In point of serious business the Conference is not likely to lead to large practical results. His Majesty's Govern. ment is not able or disposed to meet, except by a reasoned and decisive refusal, the wishes of the Colonial Representatives for a system of Imperial preference based upon the protective taxation of food. The Colonial Representatives have not hitherto given us any indication of a desire on their part to contribute in substantial proportion to the cost of the Imperial fleets and armies. It seems scarcely possible that any convenient machinery can, in present circumstances, be devised for enabling a permanent Council of Colonial Representatives to assist and restrain the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in his conduct of European negotiations. Of the variety of smaller matters which may also be discussed, some few may possibly be advanced towards a settlement. But these are not in themselves sufficient reason for collecting persons of consequence from the four corners of the world. Unless some other, extra, serious, public advantage were to be hoped for from the Conference, the utility of its expensive proceed- ings would not be obvious.

2. But there is one set of benefits of immense practical convenience and solid value which we hope this Conference may secure or help to secure, to wit, the establishing of good personal relations between the new Liberal Ministry and the leading men in the various Colonics; the friendly discussion of difficulties mutually com- prehensible if frankly stated; and, above all, the object lesson that the affections of the British people for the Colonies are not a matter of party

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