CO885-(16-18) — Page 814

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O.885

18 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

Fifteenth Day. 14 May 1907.

WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY,

200

To that

Mr. BUXTON: There was an original Conference in 1903. we did not adhere because we thought it was premature and had no legislation to carry out any conclusion they came to, but it was generally understood to be a preliminary Conference. That Conference agreed to a protocol, which formed the basis of the draft proposal for the new Conference which was called last October. The draft Convention I have spoken of all through is based upon the protocol of 1903.

L

Mr. DEAKIN: The one for which you are responsible, which you recommend, and which has been considered by the Committee, is the amended Convention of 1906 ?

Mr. BUXTON: Yes.

Mr. DEAKIN: That is now being disposed of by the Committee of the House of Commons ?

Mr. BUXTON: I think only two Articles out of the whole of the draft Convention have not been altered, in some cases entirely reversed, between the draft and the amended Convention at the instigation of the British delegates.

Mr. BRODEUR: I understand at the next sitting of the Conference you will discuss the question of the representation of the Colonies; it has not been disposed of.

Mr. BUXTON: Yes, that is the first thing. The question of the The question how these votes maximum of votes has been discussed. shall be allotted has not been discussed. In regard to voting, it would have been physically impossible for that question to be discussed at the last Conference, because all Colonies have liberty to come in or not, and nobody knows yet who is coming in, and therefore it would be idle to allot votes to Newfoundland or Canada until we knew whether they were coming in or not.

Mr. DEAKIN : Did you fix a meeting without leaving it open?

Mr. BUXTON: Yes.

Sir JOSEPH WARD: As far as I am concerned, the information which has been adduced is very valuable.

Mr. BUXTON: I am glad to have had the opportunity of clearing up some misapprehensions which have arisen.

Mr. DEAKIN: It is evident that the memorandum placed before me related to the original Convention and not to the amended Convention. Hence my remarks may have seemned.

Mr. BUXTON: No doubt the Colonial Office sending it made it clear it does not come into force for 18 months and, therefore, it did not appear urgert

Mr. BRODEUR: I understand it was simply communicated to us and we were not asked to make any representations with regard to the Convention.

201

Mr. BUXTON: It was son to you for information to show how the Colonies stand, and for them to consider whether they will join it or not,

Mr. BRODEUR: I understand we will have some further communication with regard to it.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER: Is there anything else to discuss ?

CHAIRMAN: There is this motion of Mr. Deakin.

Mr. DEAKIN It is with reference to steps to be taken to bring the Colonial Office in touch with the self-governing dominions with which it has to deal.

C

INTERCHANGE OF PERMANENT STAFF:

"}

Mr. DEAKIN: The resolution, of which notice was given, is “That "the Secretary of State for the Colonies be invited to frame a scheme which "will create opportunities for members of the permanent staff of the Colonial "Office to acquire more intimate knowledge of the circumstances and "conditions of the Colonies with whose business they have to deal, whether by appointments, temporary interchanges, or periodical visits of officers, or "similar means. May I first in a gencral way point out that Departments of State are subjected to two entirely different criticisms; first of all those of the laissez-faire school, who wish to see those Departments limited to the narrowest possible sphere of action, and who endeavour to justify their doctrine of the unwisdom of State interference by continual attacks upon the State servants employed. With those we have never had any sympathy. The school of thought with which we are most familiar in Australia is antipodean in this regard as in some others. We have freely used State agencies and continue to use them, and many of us are strongly of opinion that it is only by their employment that the complex conditions of modern government can be dealt with. If, therefore, we criticise State Departments it is because so much of the success of the policy which we advocate depends upon them and upon their power of adaptation to the business side of social life. In Australia we are constant critics of our own One of the chief Departments, and experience shows, with good reason. tasks of our Parliament is that of endeavouring to bring the various agencies comprised in their public offices into more fruitful relation with the circumstances of the country. We have busy Parliaments passing may laws, most of them demanding some administrative work, and many of them demanding a great deal, but we find the purposes of those laws defeated or their ends avoided, unless by constant criticism and revision of methods we keep our Departments, to use a familiar expression, up to date.

In Australia we are also somewhat singular, inasmuch as political patronage, as such, does not exist. The Government of the Commonwealth Our has not the power to appoint an office boy in the Commonwealth. Parliament lias passed a law which disassociates us entirely from the great public service over which we preside. Entry into that service, the stages of promotion and remuneration, and all other conditions of the service, are laid down in the law. The administration of that law is entrusted to an independent Public Service Commissioner.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER: Who makes the appointments?

1 49270,

3 E

Fifteenth Day.

14 May 1907.

WIRELESS

TELEGRAPHY,

INTERCHANGE

OF PERMANENT

STAFF.