DOMINION OF NEW ZEALAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 166, 13 July 1907, Page 7

DOMINION OF NEW ZEALAND.

'PARLIAMENT AND THE PROPOSAL. '■ (By, Telegraph.—Pazliamentary Keporter.) I WELLINGTON, Friday. A whole afternoon was spent by Parliament in discussing the proposal to change the designation of New Zealand from colony to dominion, some varied views being held by the members. The Premier moved:—" That this House respectfully requests that His Majesty the King may be graciously pleased to take such steps as he may consider necessary in order that the designation of New Zealand be changed from ' the colony of New Zealand' to the ' Dominion of New Zealand, , and that a respectful address be presented to His Excellency the Governor, rei questing him to transmit this reaolu- ! tion for submission to His Majesty." Sir Joseph Ward explained what steps he had taken ■to ascertain the course to be followed in securing- a. change of the colony's designation to Dominion. Sir Joseph said he did not believe the alteration would do away with the sentimental connection attached to the country by its old colonists. The change, , however, would have a material alteration, inasmuch as it would lilt New Zealand out of the groove of being included amongst a number of colonies concerning which no distinction could be made, particularly outside this country. Mr. Massey, Leader of the Oposition, said he did not propose to waste much time in speaking of the proposal. The Premier had spoken of the ignorance in the Old Country regarding New Zealand, but would the change of designation make any improvement? The proposal was on all fours with the previous decision to change the name of the Agent-General in London to High Commissioner. The cost to the colony in connection with that change~meant very little short of £1000 a year. The Hon. C. H. Mills. (WairauV thought the colony was going a little too fast in assuming the title of dominion, though he would vote for the change for one reasce. because it would result in New Zealand being- regarded as a larger place than it really was.

Mr. Fisher (Wellington) also regarded the proposal as premature.

Mr. Grey (Christchurch) suggested that the Premier went Home to secure the bread of fiscal preference, bat was offered by the- Mother Country the stone of Dominion.

The Premier, during his reply to the critics, read an enthusiastic laudation of dominion, put into rhyme by an Aucklander. He went on to declare that the abolition of the term colony did not diminish the lustre attaching to. the names of those brave, hard-working colonists who were the pioneers of the jcountry. As to the suggesiaon that New Zealand would begin- to demand at Governor-General, if common sense was applied to it, the importance of the argument disappeared. A division was called , for by Mr. Fisher, who found strong support from his colleagues on the Opposition benches, but the resolution was adopted by fifty votes against fifteen.