MR SEDDON'S VIEWS.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10449, 13 September 1899, Page 6

MR SEDDON'S VIEWS.

DECLINES TO BE CLASSIFIED AS AN OPPONENT.

[Br Tkukuum.]

fjSSOX ovb sncux* cnMssroKDart J WELLTNOTON, September 12 Mr Lewis asked tine Premier this afternoon t-~(l) Whether at the general election lie will afford the electors an opportunity at expressing an opinion upon the question of joining tlso Australian Federation! (2) Whether, in the event of that expression being favourable to Federation, and in tibe further event of fci* Government being returned to power, ho frill, shortly after the genera] election, cooveno a special leawn «f Parlhuoent to deal mielj with thin qmition? Mr Beddon mid ho muet answer tbe first question by tbe Hibernian method of asktag another. Would Mr JUrwie kindly state (fcow ilia suggestion is to be given effec* to lender, tho existing law! He would also «ak wbetiier Mr Lewis did not think the general etediooa were at present sufficiently complicated, and to eorue extent tnflnenesd by, baring other questions lubniitited to tbe ejectors? Then tut to the result*, if Mr lyewufa suggestions were carried out it would be for the Government of the day to give effect to the wishes of the majority of the people. He (Mr tSeddoo) questioned very much whether in the turmoil of a general election, and in view of the more uugroaaLng questions which would occupy the tatnda of the men and women of the oulouy between them and next December, it would be doing justice to tbe federation question itself. More time and more information were neccaeuy. Mr Lewie esked whose &ul6 it was thai tide information was not available? Mr Seddon said no fault attochod to anyone go far a* be knew. The returns for the last eigbteen month* -were .now ready, giving tbe jmporta from Australia into New Zealand, and the export* from New Zealand to AortraJia. Tbe House had also moved for returns for * period of five years fan order ttiatt the information available for BHmtieri Sright be more reliablei -< ■ Mr Maesey—"Will it ahow tfce Customs AitiesT" iMr^Seddoa— nt will show tibe duties paid Mr DutWe-."lt couia be done fa ball ft Mr Seddoo add that m « moral impoeslbility. Mr DoiUe—"lt could be done in one evening. Yea fare* got tbe returns." Mr eeddea here produced a largo pile of papers to abow tbe amount of labour involved. He went on to say that ac to cottVsntog * special session of Parliament he ooold not aay wbettber that could be done or not. Of course if the House decided upon Jbha question it would not be between this end next session. Whether it would be done after that he did not know. He might say that the duty, judging by what was given in the returns for the put eighteen mooths, would affect tbe finance of New Zealand to tbe amount of £228.536. With regard to tbis great question, be would K& that be wee not opposed to it. No Journal or person bad a rigbt to say that hi bad expressed any opinion against it. His mind was perfectly open, and be would notoome to a conclusion until be bad gone into tbe whole question. He was aware of tbe responsibility that rested upon b'm and other leaders in this colony, and while some people hastily, and without careful coMtder&tioa of tfy wfaoloi surroundings, were apt to give opinion* which they would be sorry for afterward*, he preferred not to be placed in that position. Whilst at the first blnsb Hα wus not in favour of federation, he had stated that New Zealand ought to wait, as probably more might bo gained by reciprocity than by joining the Commonwealth under the present Bill He bad not given, nor did he intend to give, « definite expression of opinion, uat3 be was in • position to justify bis action,

Later on in the afternoon, Mr Moore asked Whether jhe Premier would give the House an opportunity of discussing the following notice of motion, which has been on the Order Paper since the first week of the session:—"That a Committee, consisting of nine members, be appointed to enquire into and report as to the best means of promoting the commerce of the colony and the sale of the colony's products in the Australasian markets: the Committee to enquire into the question of reciprocity with the Australian colonies, also the question whether steps be taken by this colony to join in the federation of Australasia." The Premier said be admitted that the question was a very important tfie. and if time would permit and if the other business of members would permit them to devote the time and attention to the matter that its importance demanded, be would undertake to bring forward a motion himself, and have a Committee set up. He waa afraid, however, that the work of members on the general Committees would not allow justice to ba dome to this question. Members would ccc the difficulties in the way. However, be would give the matter consideration, and after the returns previously referred to showing the trade between New Zealand and Australia were available, it would be well to have a Committee set up to whom these returns might be referred. He had no desire whatever to block Mr Moore s motion.

(FBttS ASSOCIATION TttWBAM.) IN'VERCARGTLL. September 12. An anti-Federation meeting was held here to-night under the presidency of the Mayor, and was well attended. The speakers were Messrs Buxton, Collie, Morris and Mackley. A motion was carried expressing the opinion that the Question of federation Js of such vast to the colony that iV-vt-quires tolte more fully discussed before any definite conclusion is arrived at.