The Hon. J. X. Merriman^*

Desired some information in matters of detail. The Navy, for example, was attracting a good deal of attention just now in England. If the Colonies were asked to contribute their quota to the interest of any loan raised for the naval defence of the Empire, that would be a real practical step towards federation, and one which might be considered at the present time with very great advantage; but if they were to go into the idea of having a confederation of the Empire with a central Parliament, and representatives from the Colonies in that Parliament, he was afraid they would find a great many rocks ahead. There was a strong centrifugal force which was working the Colonies farther and farther away from the mother country. (Cries of "No.") He said "Yes." It was desirable that Colonists should know more fully what was proposed, so that they could advocate the scheme in their own Colonies. He thought the Colonies were entitled to claim rather more share in settling Imperial affairs concerning themselves than they had at present. At present they were entirely at the mercy of the Colonial Department, and that Department was not the speediest to get into motion in the world. There should be something of a Colonial Council established, so that some definite recognised opinion could be brought to bear on the Colonial Office, with the view of getting that office to move in time, and so save immense loss, trouble, and confusion.