§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSON (Dundee)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, on December 11th last, the Imperial Federation (Defence) Committee submitted to him a memorandum claiming that the question of colonial co-operation in the maintenance of the Navy necessitated primary consideration at the proposed Colonial Conference; whether he assented to that claim; and whether he adheres to his intention to submit this question for primary consideration by the conference.
§ THE PRIME MINISTER AND FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.)In answer to the first part of the hon. Gentleman's Question I have to say that he correctly represents, if I understand it, the memorandum submitted to me by the deputation to which he refers, but nothing fell from me indicating that I was of opinion that this question should be first in order of importance, or that it should be the first submitted to the Colonial Conference.
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONDoes the right hon. Gentleman mean that the Government will take action in the sense advocated by the deputation?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURNo, I have not said that.
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONWhat is it that the right hon. Gentleman intends to do?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI do not know whether the hon. Gentleman was a member of the deputation, but if he was that was the time to ask the question.
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONNo, I was not.