THE COMMONWEALTH BILL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIII, Issue 12158, 23 March 1900, Page 4

THE COMMONWEALTH BILL.

It is evident that a good deal of doubt exists in London as to the attitude cvf New Zealand towards the Australian Commonwealth Bill, and the situation will not be made clearer by the interview" with our Agent-General published in the “ St James’s Gazette.” That journal appears to have taken upon itself the task of manufacturing opinions for Mr Reeves, or at least of distorting and elaborating a purely private conversation to suit its own purposes. Our readers know, of course, that the progress of events on the other side of the Tasman Sea has been watched in New Zealand with a very favourable eye. It is true that this colony has so far held aloof from the Federal movement, but it has at no time expressed .anything approaching hostility towards the Bill or the States which adopted it. The Agent-General is perfectly conversant with the attitude that has beeu taken up here on the question, and it therefore came as a. great surprise to us, and no doubt to o the re, to learn the nature of the criticism which he was said to have levelled at the Bill. Mr Barton, as head of the Australian delegation to London, asserts that Mr Reeves, in the interview, not only opposed the measure, hut also went to the length of urging de]ay and a further referendum. It was impossible to believe that this in any way represented what he did say. There its very little reason for delay, and certainly none to render another referendum necessary. Moreover, Mr Barton alleged that the tone of the interview was discourteous, which rendered the whole affair even more mysterious and incomprehensible. He suggested, too, that the AgentGeneral was scheming with the West Australian delegate to. secure the defeat of the Bill, an utterly preposterous imputation. We can eaifily believe that Mr Reeves did object, on behalf of his Government, to Chapter 6 of the Constitution, which affects the admission of new States into the Commonwealth, urging, as we have always urged, that outlying States should be admitted at any time with all the privileges pf original States. Naturally, also, he would oppose the clause which proposes to prevent judicial appeal to the Privy Council. The Australian were as puzzled as wo were to find an explanation for this;' strange state of affairs. Now, however’, the explanation is forthcoming, and we can only express our surprise and regret that Mr'Barton should have taken, so hasty and. ill-judged a step as to communicate with his Government without going to the trouble of ascertaining the accuracy of the etory in the “ St James’s Gazette.” Those who are in a position to know are confident that the Agent-General is in entire accord with his Government regarding the measure and that he is perfectly acquainted with all that has been said and done in New Zealand. Lord Carrington, speaking in London, put the position with absolute fairness, paying that Britain should not arrogantly order another compact to be made, and we are sure that Mr Reeves spoke quite as fairly and probably with a greater detailed knowledge of the subject. At the same time it must not be supposed that the Commonwealth Bill in its present form is altogether acceptable to New Zealand. The clauses were drawn up to suit the circumstances of the colonies on the other side of the Tasman Sea, and in many respects they would place New Zealand at a very great disadvantage if at any time she sought to enter the Federation, and although that contingency may appear somewhat remote just now, the events of a year may make it evident that an isolated existence is far from desirable. That is tiro reason why we object to the clauses which rule the admission of new States. On the other hand, we must protect ourselves while we remain outside the Union, and as soon as possible the Government must endeavour to arrange for a reciprocal tariff with one or more of the Federated States. Mr Seddon its rightly endeavouring to have the Bill amended so as to. make that course possible, and at tire same time to secure the introduction of a clause , to allow for the partial federation or co-opera-tion of outside States with the Commonwealth in certain particulars. These are highly desirable amendments, but tse doubt whether it would be wise to imperil the passage of the Bill through the Imperial Parliament by insisting on them. The goodwill of the Aiiistralian colonies may be of far greater value to us than these concessions. Mr M'Lean, indeed, expresses the opinion that New Zealand would meet with the most favourable treatment if she endeavoured to join the Union subsequently. It is satisfactory to know the truth concerning this extraordinary interview, and to be

assured that Mr Reeves spoke in no hostile spirit. He desires to act, as New Zealand would have him do, in nil friendliness, and Mr Barton’s rather churlish refusal to dis- . cuss the points with him seems to us to < be in keeping with his hasty acceptance oi an inaccurate newspaper report.