MONDAY, APRIL 3, 1899. FEDERATION IN THE BALANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 77, 3 April 1899, Page 4

MONDAY, APRIL 3, 1899. FEDERATION IN THE BALANCE.

. Tht portion in respect to Australian Federation remains unchanged; that is to say, it is as critical as ever. The conference between the managers appointed by the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and those representing the Council has taken place, and no solution of the deadlock is forthcoming. It is plain that there is no intention on the part of the dissentient chamber, or rather of those that constitute the majority in it. to yieK an inch. We gather from .recent cable _messages that the managers of the Assembly were propared to yield in several points, and offered tc make more than one concession, but the other side insisted on its original amendments in their entirety. So Mr Reid and his colleagaes had to return to the representatives of the people and report his failure to carry the Federation Bill through Parliament in the on Inform that he or the representatives of the people would admit of its submission to the country. In reporting on the result of the conference, the Premier expressed himself in terms that were calculated to cany conviction of the sincerity of his words to all that heard him. He has made for himself in many minds such an unenviable reputation for shiftiness and double dealing with regard to the Fedeiatioj. question that one may be pardoned for accepting his assurances with caution. But it is probably quite sat-v to trust him at this juncture, vvlici-, whatever his secret Inclinations may be, his political life, so to speak, is at stake. To play false to the cause now would effectually damn him in the eyes of all its frienos in all the colonies, while even those opnesed to the great movement would haidly be brought to place reliance on a man who had been guilty of si.eh chicanery. When Mr Reid, therefore, says that the Government does not propose to allow the temporary success of a certain number of gentlemen in the Council to lead 1o the destruction of the national movement . oi Federation his words may be taken to mean all that they implynamely that come what may he is deternvned, whatever the cost, however large the risk, to carry the Fedcr.il Enabling Bill as approved and prssed by the Legislative Assembly.

In The face of this determination of Avhich the obstructive body can scarcely have been ignorant, it may seem surprising that the Council insisted or. its amendments, which of course were intended to destroy the Bill Avith such resolutions. Seeing that the recalcitrants are Avell aware of tbft steps to which Mr Reid may resort to overcome their opposition, and the strong support he Avould have behind him in the event of his being forced to employ strong measures, one EUgL- very naturally consider the Council's present attitude as a useless embarrassing of the situation, and expect it to gracefully capitulate. In a deadlock of this kind such reasoning does not necessarily find a place, and moreover it is not improbable that the obstructionists really believe it in their poAver to defeat the Federal movement in NeAV South Wales, and therefore in Australia as a Avhole by acting as they are doing. They may count on the reluctance of Mr Reid to take either of the steps he threatens—an appeal to the country, or an increase in the number of the Council; or they may even believe that he might be unsuccessful in both. So far as an appeal to the country is concerned, they have some reason to regard the issue as at least doubtful. In an election, hoAvever Avell defined are the points placed before the voters, it is always easy.to introduce others that may lead them astray and to con-' fuse and confound them. An election is a dangerous and uncertain piece of machinery to put in motion. Mr Reid knows this full well, and as he indicated, he is not likely to adopt that step' before he has tried the other—the augmentation of the numerical strength of the Council. But even that move is not entirely free from difficulty, as the Councillors are Avell aAvare. Looking at the Avhole matter from their point of vieAV, the possibility of the Premier failing may not seem such a remote one: To obtain the necessary sanction for such a course its necessity and desirability have to be patent beyond all dispute. If the anti-Federal party in NeAV South Wales can command enough influence, it is quite conceivable that they might be able to prevent the new appointments. But the question is do they command that influence? One thing that augurs well for Mr Reid's success is the support that he appears to have been promised by the Assembly as a'whole. The unanimity that there prevails is a convincing proof of the trend of national feeling in the country, and in the face of that proof one hardly sees that it would be possible to refuse the Premier the use of tlie' constitutional" means he may

ask to break an obstruction that is confined to a small and prejudiced minority.