The Press. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1885.

Press, Volume XLII, Issue 6245, 24 September 1885, Page 2

The Press. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1885.

The report in Mansard at the speeches delivered in the course of the Federation debate eonfirme the impression we had formed from reading the telegraphic summary. Throughout the dieoueeion there was evidence of an entire absesee of interest in the matter, and it is therefore not surprising that the debate speedily collapsed. : Although the Premier's resolution was to the effect that it is undesirable that this colony eheold join the Federal Council of Australia under the existing Federal Council Act, his speech consisted mainly of an argument in favor of federation. He discussed Imperial, Australasian, and New Zealand Federation at some length, although his epeech was practically confined to the two latter aspects of the question. He condemned the New Provinces Act as having destroyed the Government of the colony as a Federal Government. If we had, he said, retained the old provinces as they originally existed,"if we had retained the old provincial civsters as a federal system, if the General Government had been looked upon as a Federal Government, and if the provinces had been left to deal with their affaire, and the Legislatures of the provinces had been left to be a kind of State Legislature, then New Zealand would have been the highest possible form of Federation in these seas, and the time would soon have arrived when Fiji might have become a separate province, and when Tonga and the other islands cf the Pacific might also have become separate provinces. Then New Zealand would have been the centre of a federation. In New Zealand would have been a fedenl Government and a federal Government of immense power all over the Pacific. ,, This ia certainly a very magnificent structure to rear upon euch a ehiftirg foundation. Unfortunately for Mr. Stout's argument, it was not the Naw Provinces Act which destroyed the possibility of-a federal Government in New Zealand;- Federation, as we all know, implies the union for certain specific purposes of a number of otherwise independent states. Bat from the first the provinces, never exercised the fanotione of independent states. As Major Atkinson, in a. subsequent part of the J«W» »«{-*-* —>- " ■*■■■■

, ana municipalities of a very dangerous eorfc in this respect, that they came to the House for the whole of their means. From the very beginning they came to the House to raise money, and they came to the House when the colony entered npon the immigration and pnblio works scheme, demanding enormone sums without any reference whatever to the power of the colony to bear the burden they ohose to place upon it." These facts, are so well known and recognised that it is surprising to find the Premier representing the state of things in the colony as ever having been different , The time was when the provinces had certain funotions to perform arising out of the peculiar goographical construction of the country. But as settlement advanced, and the means of communication increased, they ceased to be required, and they had to disappear. But even were the provinces in existence now, the objections to New Zealand interfering in the affairs of the Pacific would have been as great as they are under existing circumstances. The responsibility andganger which would arise from our attempting to govern the native population of Fiji or Samoa would exist, whatever the form of our Government might be. There are men in the colony who have~maintaiued that it would have been in the interests of New Zealand had the North and South Islands been separated. They argued (hat, owing to the presence of a large Native population in the North the interests of the two islands were distinct. Wβ were never able to agree with those who took that view. If there were a considerable number of Natives in the North, there were also a large European population. That population had common interests with the population of the Middle Island, and to have separated would have been to take a backward stop equally injurious to both parts of the colony. Mr. Stout raises the question of whether it is possible to return again to some form of the provincial system for the purpose of enabling New Zealand to place herself at [the bead of a great Pacific Confederation. The question is not worth serious consideration. There is no prospect whatever of the colony ever returning to the provincial system as it has existed in the past. Bat even were it desirable and practicable to unite Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga to New Zealand, the existence or non-extstenee of the provincial system would in no way affect the question. As we ha

said there are many excellent why due colony should ©ontent herself with attending to her own affairs, without looking round for otter islands to manage. The affaire of the Pacific must from their very nature demand the Attention of the Imperial authorities. There is the labor question to consider. The Imperial Government keeps a number of warships in these seas for the express purpose of regulating the labour traffic, and there are international engagements fcbeeonsideroa. WereNewZealand made responsible for the administration of iff ji, Samoa, and Tonga she would become inTohed in reepanlibiliUea of a very onerous aatura. Beyond a sentimental desire to •ppaar importanf, we cannot see (hat there is anything to be gained to this : colony by an extension of our responsibifities in the direction indicated. It sounds very well, no doubt, to (elk of

placing New Zealand at the head of a great Pacific confederation. Bnt when the proposal comes to ba examined in the light of practical politics, numerous difficulties at once present themselves. The past history o*n colony suppli.s lgßSGna ~, -why we abonld Sipeeftlly ithdjthe||lgh. [of folly to burden responsibilities of that nature .vikohxbo. countries te ; be governed am *&uated at great distance. from our shores -Thk, dtanre .io*", securing a control over .the Pacific 'Idand. arises cut of a wish to extend onr trade relations. But our interests in -thai respect can best be conserved by seekin£ to induce the Imperial tc make arrangements with the greal European; Pjvfers to -re|pe§t« the va\ tegrity and independence of the islands Samoa and the speciall] referred to"'aie thY Ejects of inter national treaty. If they' are permitted to remain independent New Zealant can depend upon reaping all the com mercial advantages which onr proximitj to these islands gives ns, without incur rjteg the which p political union withMtfitih would ; inVblvo