NEWS OF THE WEEK
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AT Sydney last Saturday Sir Joseph Ward, the Premier of New Zealand, suggested the creation of an Imperial House of Representatives, returned according to the population of the various parts of the Empire, and an Imperial Senate to which each country of the Empire would send an equal number of members. This Imperial Parliament would be limited to the discussion of strictly Imperial questions, and would aim chiefly at the maintenance of an invincible Navy. Sir Joseph Ward contemplated that such a scheme would best fit in with federalism in the United Kingdom. He pointed out that since 1860 the area of the Empire had increased by forty per cent.; the overseas white population was now thirteen millions ; and. Great Britain could no longer keep up the two-Power standard unaided. " We cannot continue," he said, " to expect the British taxpayer to -provide for our protection. We must contribute to our own and also to the Empire's."
