ABSTRACT
The term Dominion status has become familiar within the period from 1919, but its justification lies in the decision of the Colonial Conference of 1907 to confer on the self-governing colonies the style of Dominions to mark them out from the other parts of the Empire. The British Government was most willing to assure the Dominions of all the autonomy which was possible within the free association of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth of Australia and New Zealand have not adopted the operative clauses of the Statute of Westminster; if they do, they will still remain bound by existing restrictions on constitutional change. The omission of reference to Dominion status was one of the many reasons urged against the acceptance of the joint committee's scheme in February 1935 in the Indian legislature. For the Dominions to permit immigration, and this bars any intimate association between an autonomous India and the Dominions; it may ultimately preclude even co-operation within the Commonwealth.
