The present Conference would not be confined to questions of that rer. Its discussions would exterd over the whole field of Imperial and {international policy and relations.
This growth in importance of matters which had come before successive Conferences was the out come of a very conspicuous and far-reaching change which had been displayed during that time in the relations between the component parts of the Empire, coupled with 4 continuous process of extension of self-government and the develop ment of national consciousness.
There had been continuous nece sity for adapting the relations tween the Government of Grea Bi and these Governments of! Empire to the altered state of affairs. It was in building this growth and assisting this adaptation that above all the voice of succetsive and ineteasingly permanent Conferences had Lain. Witho them it was hardly conceivable that the changes of the past 40 years, so far from weakening the ties whic' bound the Empire together, should have been a contribution to that. fundamental unity and strength which displayed itself to the amazement and admiration of the world during the four years of war.
We have gradually built up a network of contacts extending throughout the entire fabric of our respective national organizations, official and wnofeial,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.