THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1894.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9635, 6 October 1894, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1894.

In our London correspondence has already been mentioned the article by Sir George Grey, which appeared in the Contemporary Review for August, on "The Federation of the English-

speaking People." That article is in the form of an interview, but it covers

the ground °° completely, and is so carefully put together under separate headings, that there can be no doubt it may be taken as accurately embodying Sir George's ideas on the subject. That was, indeed, a familiar topic of conver-

sation with Sir George for many years

past, and everyone who has talked to

him will at once recognise familiar

ideas and phrases. Sir George starts

with the declaration that from the

extent of the world held by the Anglo-

Saxon race, coupled with the fact that

they include not merely the largest numbers in the world's democracy, but the ripest and best in that democracy— for these reasons the future of humanity must rest primarily in their hands. The question of federation is being looked at earnestly by many of the most thought"ul politicians at home; and the reflections of Sir George Grey, who has meditated on the subject for so many years, will no doubt be read with attention and deference. But we feel sure that some of the statements j made by him as to sentiment and J conviction in the colonies are erroneous, and may lead to misunderstanding in England. For instance, he says : —" In several respects the constitutions of the colonies—and I have Australasia particularly in my mind—have come strongly into collision with colonial feeling and progress." The examples Sir George gives are the appointment j of Governors by the British Ministers, and the nomination of the Upper Houses of the Legislatures by the Governors. On the first of these points Sir George always felt very strongly, so strongly as to colour his personal relations with the various Governors we have had. But in this matter Sir George stands alone, or almost alone. The people of these colonies do not see that a better way of appointing their Governors could be found. If we were to elect our Governors much greater power would have to be given to them than thejf at present possess. The Governor would then be the chosen of a party in the State, lie would be elected probably after a keen contest with the nominee of another party, and it would be quite absurd to suppose that after that he would be content to be so entirely dependent on the advice of his Ministers, so incapable of doing anything without their concurrence, as he is at present. Such a change would demand the entire recasting of our political institutions, and the putting of the Governor somewhat in the position of the President of the United States. The j appointment of the Governors of these colonies is not "strongly in collision with colonial feeling and progress," and it is a pity that Sir George should make such a representation. When has any Governor of Now Zealand in recent years retarded "colonial progress?" The only Governor who has ever been seriously accused of doing so, was Sir George Grey himself, in delaying for years the giving of a constitution to New Zealand. Whether he was right or wrong in so doin/j, we do not say. But there is no doubt that he was strongly condemned by colonial feeling, and was denounced as being opposed to colonial progress. Since that time responsible government has been adopted, and no Governor now could possibly place himself in opposition to colonial feeling and progress. The argument used by Sir George is, that we are prevented from electing someone of ourselves to this high office. But we elect the Premier, who has far more power than the Governor. Is there anybody in the colony whom we are eager to put in the position of Governor ? We doubt if Mr. Seddon would take it, for his power would certainly be diminished, although his salary would be increased. As to the statement that the colonies feel it as a grievance that the members of the Upper Houses of the Legislature are nominated by the Governor, could anything more merely imaginative be put in words 1 The Governor can only nominate members to the Legislative Council by the advice of the Cabinet. The efforts of the Governors of recent years have been directed to prevent the Legislative Council being swamped improperly by merely party nominations for some temporary . purpose, and these efforts have not been successful. We venture to say that the Governor who signed the warrants calling the last batch of members of the Council did not know a single man of those he was nominating. Sir George states that the appointment of the Governor by the Crown, and his power to appoint members to the Legislative Council are " repugnant to the sentiment and patriotism " of the people of the colony. He then proceeds:— to the Upper Houses nominated through the Crown the result of that has been to give the party of wealth an undue share of power." By-and-by, if things go on as they are doing now, the Upper House will have nothing but socialistic labour members in it. There has been ya these colonies lately a large amount of talk about federation, but any one looking at what has actually been taking place must have come to the conclusion that we were drifting away from it. The Australian I colonies have altered their tariffs so as I to exclude New Zealand manufactures

and New Zealand products. Victoria and New South Wales have got up a war of railway freights, and a stock tax on the borders. Whether the new federation movement will have any more practical result than the Conferences that have already taken place, we do not know, but the prospect of this small modicum of federation is not very encouraging. The chief aid which federation could get would be the infusion of common sense amongst the average voters. There can be no federation with protective tariffs all around us.

It is impossible to refuse the most cordial sympathy with Sir Gorge Grey in his anticipations of the effect of federation of the English-speaking race on the advancement of the world, as bringing about a cessation of war and strife. It is quite within the bounds of possibility that some tribunal might be established which would dispose of by arbitration all causes of differences that might arise between the two great branches of the race. We can scarcely hope to put an end to war in the world, but a confederation of the Englishspeaking people would greatly diminish auy risk of our being concerned in hostilities. In such a case the sea would be a safe highway for commerce as far as we are concerned. For the most part, Sir George Grey's observations are based upon realities, and indicate the way we must travel to reach the goal of federation. Some of his statements on colonial subjects, as we have shown above, are mistakes, but these are not of much importance as regards the main question. The paper as a whole must attract attention in England, and it will certainly tend to the good of the world.