A LEGISLATOR ABROAD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12421, 9 February 1901, Page 8

A LEGISLATOR ABROAD.

A HOLIDAY.' -i- . MB W., W. COLLINS’S TMPRES'SIONCOF AUSTRALIA. - t ■ The senior member for the city, who ire* turned to Cbristchiirch yesterday after; wjt«, nessing the Commonwealth inauguration celebrations and spending a few weeks’ holiday in , Australia, spared a few minutes from the local festivities for, a- ohat with a reporter during t]ie afternoon. .. “Yes,” Mr. Collins said, after 'The cui-- - ternary greetings, “I have had a very en.- - joy able trip. The fact that I came from' New Zealand was sufficient'to ensure me*most kindly reception’’in every pint of-tho) new State I visited! I wait over half fear-, ing that the Australians.--would- resent-, ouis refusal to-join the Commonwealth; but I' soon.found that there was no cause for any J apprehension- of that 1 kind. They were! most-attentive in-every way,and spared no | pains to make their-guests-from this colony, feel thoroughly at home. ]• “ The inaugfiral 1 celebrations -made a mag-V nificent spectacle. ■ The : ceremonies- were! capitally arranged and were carried oufcj with great: success from beginning to, end. j The occasion -is not likely to be forgotten, 1 ;; by anyone who .had the good fortune to be] present. I, at any rate, shall remember as one of the great events of my life. The| presence of the Imperial, troops,-.whom woj are now -entertaining in Christchurch, add-1 ed very much to the interest of ; the -pro-t----ceedings, 1 hut even without' theta tne pa-; geant would have been aiagnifieeat,. . “No; I don’t think there was.anything., about the-display specially intended; to im-j, press New Zealanders with .the .advantage',, of belonging to the Comonwealth;Dur] neighbours- profess to-be 'perfectly disin-: terested in their desire to see us Throwing; in our lot-with the rest of the colonies, ; and in a general way. I. -think they ieally,; are. Of course the Labour Party and the'advanced Radicals would like to see New] Zealand exercising a closer influence, on thej ; politics of 1 the Commonwealth ; ■leavening;/the legislation of the whole of Australia,-sof to speak, but we can, hardly find fault'with! them for that. All parties-admit.that 'they! are making an experiment of which nohe off theta can; see the end. and naturally they. 1 ; would prefer New Zealand sharing, - the. risk. „■■ ■ j

' “ Reciprocity? The Australians did not seem to me much attracted by the suggestion. Many of them have taken no trouble, to understand what it means, and others. • argue that if we are ready to negotiate al reciprocal tariff we ought to be ready to; bear our share of the responsibilities in the Commonwealth. But' I can’t speak withi; any-sort of .definiteness on this subject. The average Australian has not begun to think about it yet, and he has no opinions. No, I did not. notice any wide-spread inclina-: tion to force New Zealand into the union.; One or two people I spoke to about the matter, implied that wo should be.sorry if we persisted in standing out, but they did not threaten any repr sals. "Yes, I certainly-think that Mr Seddon’s visit and the tactful way in which he handled controversial .questions, have greati ly increased the good ■ feeling in Australia towards New Zealand;. Our Premier mada a very creditable figure -indeed 'among: th'q public men on the Other side, and he is immensely popular with the masses of the 1 peonle. :. : , “It is scarcely fair to ask me to draw a comparison between the politicians',of the) : two countries; but I don’t think that the' electors of. Australia would claim to ba very much better represented than- those,o! New Zealand. The bulk of; them are greatly interested in cur progressive' lesris-j; laiioo; and there can be no doubt that id has,exercised considerable influence on their’ own politics. I am inclined to think that* the doings of our Parliament are as closely watched in: Svdnev and -Melbourne as they, are in Christchurch -■ But I am" not going to talk politics to-day. ■ I have had -a thoroughly -pleasant trip and I am-very grateful to -the people who have assisted meirir.enJoying it.’ , Y,L.;,. LL " : .-,i ■■■ ■■■/' " •