RECIPROCITY WITH AUSTRALIA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12397, 10 January 1901, Page 4

RECIPROCITY WITH AUSTRALIA.

We entirely agree with Mr Roper that the appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into the subject affords no reason why the public should not continue to discuss Federation with the utmost freedom. It seems to us, indeed, that it is now more desirable than ever that the people should seek to understand the problem that is engaging the attention of their representatives. The appointment of the Commission has at least brought Federation within the range of practical politics, and before the end of the year the electors may be required to express an opinion upon some modified scheme of union. At present they are very poorly prepared for such a task, and Mr Roper has done well in trying to arouse their interest in the subject. We are not, however, ,yery sanguine about the result. The little band of disputants who have practically monopolised the discussion of .the question in this colony have, so far, confined their attention to. its purely commercial aspects, and will not bo readily persuaded to look at its broader features. But we hope that Mr Roper’s thoughtful paper will go a long way towards convincing them that something more than a market for our agricultural produce is at stake. They should, at any rate, be encouraged by the writer’s confidence in the goodwill of our neighbours. We can hardly believe that the dissatisfaction with our refusal to join the Commonwealth, which neither Mr Barton nor Mr Reid took any trouble to conceal, when interviewed by our representative in Sydney eighteen months ago, has altogether disappeared ; but we may fairly hope that a better understanding of oxtr position has lessened the old feeling of irritation. When this has ceased to exist the way will be clear for Mr Roper’s scheme of reciprocity.