CHAP. II] IMPERIAL CO-OPERATION 1469
were represented, the Prime Ministers of Canada, New South
Wales, Victoria, New Zealand, Queensland, Cape Colony,
South Australia, Newfoundland, Tasmania, Western Australia,
and Natal being present. The proceedings of this Conference
were not published, but merely the speech with which it
was opened by the President—DMr. Chamberlain—and the
actual resolutions as passed by the Conference! The
resolutions on trade were as follows —
That the Premiers of the self-governing Colonies unani-
mously and earnestly recommend the denunciation, at the
earliest convenient time, of any treaties which now hamper
the commercial relations between Great Britain and her
Colonies.
That in the hope of improving the trade relations between
the Mother Country and the Colonies the Premiers present
undertake to confer with their colleagues with the view to
seeing whether such a result can be properly secured by
a preference given by the Colonies to the products of the
United Kingdom.2
In accordance with these resolutions steps were taken to
notify to Germany and Belgium their desire to denounce
their existing commercial treaties, which therefore ceased
with effect from July 30, 1898.3
On the question of political relations the resolutions passed
expressed general satisfaction as to the political relations
between the United Kingdom and the self-governing Colonies,
and the opinion that it was desirable where practicable to
unite in a federal union Colonies which were geographically
united. The Prime Ministers also all considered that it would
be desirable to hold periodical Conferences of representatives
of the Colonies and Great Britain for the discussion of
matters of common interest. Mr. Seddon for New Zealand,
and Sir E. Braddon for Tasmania, were of opinion that the
‘ime had already come that an effort should be made to
* See Parl. Pap., C. 8596; Jebb, Imperial Conference, i. 289-336.
* Canada granted a 25 per cent. British preference in 1898; see 60 & 61
Viet. c. 16; 61 Vict. c. 37; 63 & 64 Viet. c. 15; Parl. Pap., Cd. 1299,
p. 118; 3524, pp. 317 seq.
* See Parl. Pap., C. 9423; Cd. 1630, and for German retaliation on
Canada, Cd. 1781.
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