LABOR CONFERENCE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVI, Issue 11, 13 January 1912, Page 5

LABOR CONFERENCE.

FEDERATION WITH NEW'ZEA-

LAND

AIM OF THE COMMONWEALTH

f PRESS ASSOCIATI ON. ~\ (Received Jan. 12, 10.10 p.m.)

HOBART, Jan. 12

At the Labor IConf erenee^Mr. Fisher's motion declared that/ being' impressed -with the' belief that the interests, welfare, and safety •of the Commonwealth arid.sNew Zealand-were mutually bound up in each other, it was extremely desirable that "closer political, industrial, and commercial relations should be established between the two countries, and the Conference recommends 'that ; the Commonwealth Government immediately open v with- theXNew Zealand Government on the lines of the resolution. Mt Fisher, in* moving the. motion, declared ; that the Dominion - -would und<aubfae"dly favor the Federation: of the two-peoples,.who both recognised that the fate of the one would be "the fate «of ithe, other,; if ever they:; happened to come to a conflict with i greater peoples,-arid more -powerful peoples than themselves. It was becoming to, the Labor party to take the lead <in opening up the negotiations #ith>New Zealand. Mr MeGowen, in seconding, said that Australia had to deplore tho fact that New."Zealand .was out of the Federation, when they realised that the Dominion' had led them all in the early days in Democratic and progressive legislation.' .New Zealand-iwas tnot now Allied,1 but a rather formidable opponent in certain directions. The wisdom of her being with the rest of AusteaJasia -. was •. admitted. IHe believed, ifrom every standpoint, not only in the interests, of Australiahbut in the interests of Australasia, 'that New Zealand* arid the: rest of the: islands of ifc''Pacific should be allied.