FEDERATION COMMISSION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12426, 15 February 1901, Page 2

FEDERATION COMMISSION.

[Pee Peess Association - .] DUNEDIN, Feb,: 14. % The Rev W. S. Ouraon-Siggurs, Vicar of St Alattbow’e, was the first witness to-day. He said be bad lived in Australia from the Gulf of Carpentaria to the south of Victoria. He had given some attention to the question of Federation, and considered the Commonwealth Bill opposed to Federation liom a national point of view, though its oesiga was good. We were an insular nation, and Australia was a continental nation. History all along the line went to prove that insular and continental -races diverged further and further apart, and therefore hislevy was opposed to the Federation- of rJew Zealand with Australia. He wa*s also 'tap-, posed to a Federal Court ot Appeal., Ibe coloured labour problem was a serious drawback to New Zealand joining the Federation, as was also the law regarding the political rights of aboriginals. John William Alilnes, manager of the Phrenix Alanufacturing Company, said that Federation would opeu up no new markets, and it would affect them prejudicially, by reason of affording extra competition, ihe conclusion be bad formed was that Federation might be an advantage only from, an international point of view, and that it was purely a sentimental advantage. James L. Passmore, Managing Director of the Rope and Twine Company, said that Federation would.be of great advantage to his business. In the matter of twine, which they regarded as their principal manufacture, they bad no duty m their favour just now, whilst they had a heavy duty of £8 a ton against them on the other side. That was about 25 per cent of the market value pf twine, and was prohibitive. With a free market they could compete with the world, even England. T. W. Kemptborne, managing director of Kempthowie, Prosser and Co., declared himself a strong Federationist. He believed that federation with Australia would hasten on the federation of the Empire. In time, he thought, New Zealand would become the centre of attraction in the Southern Seas if she federated with Australia, and that destiny would be defeated to some extent if she did not. Owing to her. great natural advantages and resources. New Zealand was bound to be the leading colony. William Stevenson-, the manager for Irvine and Stevenson, jam manufacturers, thought the only advantage to be gained from Federation would be commercially. He could not see that New Zealand would -gain any other advantage from Federation, either politically or socially.

Frank Oakden, the manager of the Alilbum Lime and Cement Company, was of opinion that the loss of our political independence would more than outweigh the commercial advantages which would be derived from Federation.

The Commonwealth concluded its sitting iu Dunedin to-day, and proceeds north on Saturday. Altogether, forty witnesses have giveu evidence, the preponderance being distinctly against Federation. There was little new in to-day's evidence, the witnesses after lunch being W. Stevenson (Irvine and Stevenson), Frank Oakden (Alilburn Lima and Cement Company), R. Hudson, flour-miller and biscuit manufacturer, and W. E. Reynolds. All were opposed more or less to Federation. J.R. Scott, produce agent, said that Federation would not affect the dairy produce trade. John Let-hbrid'ge (Dalgety and Co.), J. AI. Ritchie (National Alortgage and Agency Company), and E. B. Cargill, all favoured the colony federating with Australia. [Feom Our Correspondent.] DUNEDIN, Feb. 14.

Some remarkable evidence was given before the Federation Commission to-day by the Rev Curzon Siggers, the well-known curate of St Alatthew’s. His- reason for opposing Federation was that through the Design of God we were an insular ' nation, whereas Australia was a continental nation, and history all along the line proved that insular and continental races diverged further and further apart. He was also opposed! to the Federal Court of Appeal. He had read* the judgments delivered by the* judges of Australia and New Zealand, and for lucidity, grasp and power there was no man- in Australia equal to our own Mr Justice Williams or Sir Robert Stout.. He' failed to see in the matter of appeals to Australia that we should be likely to get any legal decision that would -satisfy us more than the decisions we get here,, and 1 if there were- to be any appeal let us 'appeal to the greater lig’hts of the HomelCountry. [From Oue Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, Feb. 14.

It is pointed out by the “ Eveniug Post” to-night that ihe proposal of the Federal Australian Premier for a Federal Arbitration and Conciliation Bill is limited to disputes beyond the area. of one 'State, and! that all States of the Commonwealth would, therefore, be left free to deal with their own industrial disputes through their own- law. The point is important, -as one of the witnesses before the Commission at Dunedin denounces Air Barton’s proposal as sure to interfere with the States and, Therefore, be a bar against New Zealand’s entry.into the Commonwealth. The latitude . given to witnesses by this Commission is causing some astonishment here among people who consider the Commission was appointed for the purpose of eliciting facts, not, political opinions, much less manifestoes.