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SIR CHARLES BRUCE^ G.C.M.G., ON 



the white man is associated with coloured races in the conditions 

 generally prevailing in South Africa. Above all, the discussion 

 will have to take into account the claims of India and the Far 

 East. The true temper in wliich these questions should be 

 submitted to the Conference by the Imperial Government was 

 wisely indicated by The Times : " We have to state our own 

 view. We should do so without reserve, taking the delegates 

 so far as possible into our confidence as regards our whole 

 foreign and Imperial policy, and laying down quite frankly the 

 necessary conditions of our support and sympathy. Our 

 present system of admonition, tempered by cajolery, and quite 

 untempered by any serious bestowal of confidence, has not the 

 influence upon colonial opinion which some statesmen would 

 like to believe. A franker and more outspoken attitude, if 

 accompanied by a real appreciation of the colonial point of 

 view, would be better statesmanship and truer flattery. A 

 genuine tradition of meeting colonial opinion wherever possible 

 would soon bring that opinion half-way towards ours." 



Outside the areas of religious and racial conflict a gradual 

 assimilation of the law in matters affecting economic interests 

 is of equal importance to the United Kingdom, the Dominions, 

 the Crown Colonies and India. In one category may be men- 

 tioned laws affecting merchant shipping, bills of exchange and 

 other commercial documents, patents, trade and merchandise 

 marks, copyrights, monopolies in restriction of trade, and trade 

 disputes. In an allied category may be mentioned laws affect- 

 ing the administration of justice, the jurisdiction of foreign 

 courts, and the execution of foreign judgments in British courts. 

 In a third and distinct category may be mentioned laws affecting 

 health and sanitation or aimed at promoting social morality in 

 many aspects. 



In the work of assimilating the legislation of the Empire, 

 a basal principle has been the attainment of the greatest 

 possible uniformity in regard to matters of Imperial moment 

 consistently with a just recognition of local custom where this 

 can be maintained without prejudice to Imperial interests. 

 In the carrying out of this purpose an influence of recognised 

 importance has been exercised by the Society of Comparative 

 Legislation. The Society was established is 1894, mainly for 

 the purpose of obtaining and diffusing a knowledge of the 

 course of legislation in different countries, but more particularly 

 in the several parts of the Empire. The work of the Society 

 has always been heartily approved by the Colonial Office, and 

 in 1902 Mr. Chamberlain invited both the self-governing and 



