NEW ZEALAND AND THE AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH.

Evening Star, Issue 11445, 12 January 1901, Page 1

NEW ZEALAND AND THE AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH.

We are by no means inclined to endorse the notion (which appears to be prevalent in some quarters) .that no definite opinions ought to be expressed in regard to the question whether New Zealand should or should not join the Australian Federation until the recently-appointed Commission have issued their report. In the first place, we frankly confess that we have no great confidence in the Commission as constituted. It is just possible, of course, that the pronounced antiFederationists, who form the majority, may rise superior to their prepossessions'; but this cannot be confidently expected, and itwould be a poor look-out for the cause of Federation if its supporters were to keep silenc! in the hope that the Commission would do justice to the merits of the case. In the second place, the Commission will not be a, court of law, and will not have the last word upon the subject. The decision will rest with Parliament,' and it is the privilege, and, indeed, the duty, of the Press to foster public discussion upon a question of such momentous import, and to co-operate with the Commissioners in spreading information and ventilating the pros and cons. Convinced as we are not only of the importance but of the immediate urgency of the matter in its bearing upon the national destiny, we shall lose no opportunity of emphasising the arguments which conclusively point (as wc think) to the desirability, of a prompt co-operation on the part of this Colony with the desires of Australian statesmen aid the Australian people. In a previous article we took for our text the opinions expressed by prominent statesmen of the Commonwealth, as reported by our Special Commissioner in Sydney. W© dwelt upon tirec significant points: first, the anxious desire of the leading Australian Federalists that; New Zealand should " come in," and their willingness to offer favorable terms, provided that there be no unreasonable delay; secondly, their candid warning that delay might, and probably would, lead to the withdrawal of those terms and the substitution of much less favorable conditions in the event of this Colony wishing to join at some future date; and, thirdly, their equally candid hints that New Zealand must not look for preferential treatment at. the hands of the Commonwealth if she decides to stand aloof. As the Federal Premier puts it, the people of' this Colony must, not expect to share the privileges of the Federation without,, at the .same time sharing the responsibilities and obligations. The antiFederationists, with Mr Seddon at their head, persist in ignoring this view of the matter; and we can only say that their sanguine optimism anla7.es us. The Premier of New Zealand is no fool—on the contnrrv, he is a, very clever and astute man—but "is lie not living in a fool's paradise as regards the'prospective attitude of federated Australia to Zealand? It would almost rcem as though he were allowing the smooth words and generous sentimentalities of the last fortnight to prevent his recognition of hard political facts. Australia has been speaking New Zealand fair during the Commonwealth festivities, and «re believe that the kindly words have been expressive of a sincere feeling of friendship; but the complimentary season will soon have passed, and the hour of prosaic policy will arrive, and Australia, with the Best will in the world, will find it necessary to be just to herself before being generous to her neighbors: At the State banquet MrSeddon said : " Anything New Zealand could do to " help Australia would be done. There were "difficulties in the way of New Zealand "joining the Federation at present. NoCon- " stitution which they as Australians could

frame would meet those difficulties; but

"in the pageant which he had witnessed " that day he had learned this lesson : that " the people of Australia were nearer to the

"people of New Zealand than the people "of New Zealand had ever known. He " could tell the psople of New Zealand that "he believed that the people "of Australia " were with them heart, and soul,, and he " thought he could assure the people, of Aus- " tralia that the New Zealanders were with, "them heart and soul." Now. that sort of utterance is all very well and very pleasant while what we have called the complimentary season lasts, and while sentiment is the order of the day: but what becomes of Mr Seddon's sanguine eloquence when it is contrasted with the Federal Premier's unsentimental surmise that " the peoplo of Aus- " tralia are" not likely, as a matter of business, to give New Zealand the Benefits of "Federation without her undertaking anv "of its liabilities"? It is practically certain that there will be a protective tariff of a more or less pronounced kind, at all events during the early years of the Commonwealth, and nearly all the statesmen interviewed by our [Special Commissioner agree that it will be impossible to institute reciprocal trade relations between New Zealand and the Federation; "I don't think '"there is any chance whatever of that; it " has got to be cither Federation or no- " thing,"' was Sir George Turner's comment on the suggestion as to reciprocitv, and he was still more emphatic in his reference to the Freetraders' notion that a mere revenue tariff might enable New Zealand to get the best of the deal by allowing her to send in her products subject to very low duties while she imposed \rMt duties she pleased upon imports from Australia. " Oh, that is all nonsense," exclaimed Sir George ;

" everybody realises that the tariff mu?t be " protective ; there is no question about " that." Moreover, both Mr Barton and Sir George Turner dwell upon the proved impracticability of the reciprocity principle, which has failed in almost every instance where an attempt has been made to put it into operation.

We shall only just refer to two other points at present (though we shall re vert-to tie subject before long). Mr Seddon can hardly have failed to be impressed by the hostility which his idea of a "second" Federation undoubtedly excites in Australia. Mr Bar-ton-is of opinion that "two Federations " would kad to the. existence of rival Pow- " ers, and possibly to future quarrels." If New Zealand decides to stand aloof frbni the Commonwealth, Mr Seddon's own pet Federal scheme is likely to have to tcsolute opposition on the part of the Australian authorities*-an eventuality which might cause our Premier to talk in a somewhat less sentimental-strain regarding the union of " hearts and The other point we wish to mention, has reference to the distance between this Colony and Australia—a matter on which the anti : Feder*tionists

dwell with, quite unreasonable ' insistence. Sir William JPMillan's remarks on this head are worthy of attention : "It therefore really ' "reduces itself to a question of distance, " or of five <layß' steaming, in. order to bring "a. delegate to an" Australian Parliament "As most of the 'Australian delegates trill " probably occupy two days, and some three "days, in reaching the Federal capital, "it simply means tiat a Ijew Zeabader " would take twice the time to go to and- ! " fro as a member of the Australian Parii*. i " ment as compared with those who repre- " sent the Continental States. How long "does it take a senator "of California, by, "reasonable stages, to reach Washington?" A clear realisation of the position as stated by Sir W. iTMilhn would : go far toward* removing the doubts of many people have been inclined to range themselves -on ; the anti-Federationisb side.