HC Deb 25 May 1905 vol 146 cc1412-3
MR. HERBERT SAMUEL (Yorkshire, Cleveland)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether it is proposed that the Indian Government should be represented at the Colonial Conference of 1906; if it is, whether such representation was contemplated by the resolution of the Colonial Conference of 1902, which suggested the summoning of another Conference in 1906; and, if the Indian Government is to be represented without such suggestion having been made, whether he will state the reason for this change from the ordinary composition of Colonial Conferences.

*SIR CHARLES DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean)

May I ask whether, in addition to the representation of India, steps will be taken to give due weight to the interests of the Crown Colonies and other dominions of His Majesty?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

If the conference of 1906 meets before a dissolution it will be, of course, the conference contemplated by the resolution of the conference which met in 1902. This resolution did not suggest either Indian or Crown Colony representation.

MR. HERBERT SAMUEL

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether, if India is not represented, any proposals, for colonial preference will be debated at that conference?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I do not know what ground the hon. Gentleman has for thinking that the Government mean to make proposals to that conference on the subject.

*SIR CHARLES DILKE

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that at the last conference we were informed—of course the full report was never published, but we were informed—that someone was present on behalf of India?

MR A. J. BALFOUR

Well, I have refreshed my memory this morning of the resolution actually passed at the conference—

*SIR CHARLES DILKE

I do not mean the resolution.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

It is that on which the Question was based, and that resolution will be strictly followed, as far as we are concerned, supposing the conference meets before a dissolution.

MR. HERBERT SAMUEL

Are we to understand that, as India is not to be represented at that conference, no resolutions arrived at by the conference propounding a scheme of Imperial preference will form the basis of a scheme to be submitted to the electorate at the next election?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I really think that the hon. Gentleman is travelling far beyond the Question originally put, and I would suggest to him that these are questions which will probably be debated on another occasion.

MR. CHURCHILL (Oldham)

Did I understand the right hon. Gentleman to say that His Majesty's Government would not submit any proposals in regard to Imperial preference to the conference which will meet next year, if it should meet before the dissolution?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

No, Sir, we shall not make proposals any more than at the previous conferences.