CHAP. I] IMPERIAL CO-OPERATION 1479
which Mr. Lyttelton was a member fell in 1905, and Lord
Elgin, his successor, did not endorse his proposals, but left
them for free discussion at the Conference which met in 1907.1
3 6. Tur CoLoNIAL CONFERENCE OF 1907
Before the Colonial Conference of 1907 was held, the
Canadian Government raised the question as to the mode
in which that Government should be represented at the
Conference? It was represented that it would be convenient
if not merely the Prime Minister should be invited to attend,
but also other ministers, and it was pointed out that in 1902
other ministers as a matter of fact had attended and taken
part in the deliberations. The Secretary of State, while
declining to make any change in the formal constitution
of the Conference, which he left for consideration of the
Conference itself, concurred in the desirability of the presence
of other ministers besides the Prime Minister, and such
ministers attended the Conference on the understanding
that the voting should be by Colonies and not by individual
heads.
The Conference of 1907 was the first Conference to be held
without being specially connected with some ceremonial
avent in the Empire. It differed also from the Conferences
of 1897 and 1902 in the fact that the proceedings, with
sertain exceptions, were published and laid before Parlia-
ment.3 The resolutions passed were of peculiar importance.
In the first place the Constitution of the Imperial Conference
was definitely laid down in the following terms 4:—
That it will be to the advantage of the Empire if a Con-
ference, to be called the Imperial Conference, is held every
four years, at which questions of common interest may be
discussed and considered as between His Majesty’s Govern-
ment and the Governments of the self-coverning Dominions
' See Parl. Pap., Cd. 2975. * See Parl. Pap., Cd. 3340.
' See Parl. Pap., Cd. 3523 (Proceedings), 3524 (Papers); Jebb, op. cit, ii.
Mr Lyttelton’s suggestion of an Imperial Council was discussed and
not accepted, Canada fearing that the institution of such a body might
nave an injurious effect on Dominion autonomy ; see Cd. 3523, pp. 26-94.
