1498 IMPERIAL UNITY [PART VIII
ment, and the self-governing communities were entitled to
be associated with a department, which would never forget
that they were self-governing and that its relations with them
were not of a dictatorial character. He referred, with
approval, to the visit of Sir Charles Lucas in 1909, and to the
value of the High Commissioner, who had direct access to
the Secretary of State. He alluded also to the necessity of
Australia having a foreign policy in the Pa cific, and especially
of a larger share of the control of the New Hebrides being
granted. Ministers must insist in London on the importance
of the Western Pacific to Australia. This could be carried
out best by having Australian officials representing Australia
on the Imperial Secretariat, together with other officers to
represent the other Dominions. They should be subject to
the British Prime Minister, but maintained at the cost of the
Dominions, and they should carry out the instructions sent
to them from the Dominions.
Mr. Deakin also regretted that there was no allusion to
the development of preferential trade, and he referred to the
enormous advantage that had been gained at the last Con-
ference by obtaining the profits of £150,000 a year on silver
zoinage,
Sir William Lyne! shared generally the views of Mr.
Deakin, and especially with regard to the secretariat, which
he thought should be kept entirely distinct from the present
Colonial administration of England. He was inclined to be
in favour of an Imperial Court of Appeal. without going so
far as did Mr, Deakin,
Mr. Glynn referred to the case of the Declaration of London,
to the question of naturalization—in which he alluded to the
difficulty of the colour question—and to the question of
the Imperial Court.
In Canada a debate in the House of Commons was delayed
until April 20, 1911.
The question was raised by Mr. Foster,? formerly Finance
* Parliamentary Debates, 1910, pp. 6861 seq.
* House of Commons Debates, 1910-1, pp. 7504-24: of. 1909-10, pp.
$10 seq.
