AUSTRALASIAN FEDERATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 14292, 9 February 1907, Page 10

AUSTRALASIAN FEDERATION.

TWO VIEWS OF THE MATTER. SHOULD NEW ZEALAND JOIN? A feature of the Mayor’s dinner on Thursday evening was tho Hon T. Skene’s appeal to New Zealand to join the Australian Federation, and so create a united Australasia, with dominating power in the Southern Pacific. The Mayor of Perth, replying to Mr Skene, expressed the opinion that New Zealand should bo very thankful'that had kept outside the Federation. An Australasian Commonwealth is not regarded as within the domain of practical politics as far as. most New Zealanders are concerned, but tho remarks of the Australians have created some interest in Christchurch, and a representative of the “Lyttelton Times” yesterday sought further information regarding their views. The Hon T. Skene said that when he had advocated an Australasian federation, he had not desired to be understood as expressing satisfaction with the existing union of the Australian State®. The union was net satisfactory to any of the States in its details, and his feeling was that the inclusion of New Zealand would furnish an opportunity for a reorganisation of tho federation on a better and broader basis. “ John Fiske said that the durability of a federation depended upon its flexibility, and the truth of that remark should be remembered in planning an Australasian federation,” he said. “ I do not support the present federal system. It is net satisfactory to any of tho States, and 1 believe that they are ripe for a change. West Australia is aggrieved because it has not got the trans-continental railwav, and that, of course, is really a minor matter. But the States generally feel that tho union is not sufficiently elastic, and that tho federal legislative authorities are dealing with matters that should be left in tne hands of the States. One might say that we are using a plough to do spado work, and are damaging all our shrubs and pot plants in the process. The Swiss system is federal legislation in all large national affairs, with administration completely in the hands of tho cantons, and that is the sort of thing wo' want in Australasia. Australia and New Zealand should speak with the voice of one people, but the States should have internal independence. The Federal Government could borrow money for public works at a cheaper rate than could the State Governments, but each State should administer its own railways, postal service and so on. Little persuasion would be needed to make tho Australian people consent to a rearrangement on a basics that should be satisfactory to New Zealand.” . Mr S. Stubbs, the Mayor of Pertn, wae ready to express his objections to the federal tie in strong terns. “West \ustralia has gained nothing from federation,” ho said. “When the matter was being fought on the political platform seven dr eight years ago our State was stumped, from end to end by i ’lagrlrtors from’tho eastern States, and '..we wen-told that we would gain many |n'oat advadages from tho union. Chief a'mVmgsfc these, advantages was to be tho 'twans-contineirial railway. Many of us were converted to federation by these arguments, and 1 »m sorry to say that-I was arnonpsfc them. Not one promise hs-; been redeemed. Tho Federal Legislature lias several times declined to vote the money recuiired for tho survey of the railway, tho very men wild stumped West Australia voting against tho grant. Our money is draining away to the other Staten, and especially to Victoria, which is able to send a great deal of produce to us. New Zealand and West Australia arc too far from the eastern States of Australia for any federal bond to be comfortable. A happy federation is possible only when there is community of interest. New Zealand is separated from Australia by many hundred miles of ocean, am! West Australia ri separated from the eastern Stater, by tho huge areas of Central and Southern Australia. The. people of New Zealand should thank their stars that they kept out. There docs not appear to be any process by which my S ate can imn regain its freedom. The Lower House passed a motion antagonistic to the federation, and the Upper House would certainly have endorsed that resolution had the s'-asion not ended, but the West Australian legislators did not ex-

pect to do more than attract the atcc.j.io- of the eastern States to West Australian wrongs. We might present a great petition to the King, but he would bo hound by constitutional usage to pass it over to tho Federal Legislature.”