DEPENDENCE AND INDEPENDENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11879, 3 February 1902, Page 4

DEPENDENCE AND INDEPENDENCE.

New South Wales does not take gracefully to the loss of individual standing which necessarily followed her voluntary absorption in the Commonwealth. Her Premier is willing to be placed upon an inferior footing to the Federal Premier at the Coronation proceedings, but does not wish to be placed upon an inferior footing to the Premier of New Zealand. That is to say, he wishes New Zealand to be placed in the inferior position, which New South Wales now necessarily occupies, and against which similarlysituated Ontario makes no protest. It really makes very little difference to the colonies what forms or procedures are observed in London, so long as they are impartially and impersonally followed. But New South Wales has not the status in the Empire that New Zealand has. She has the same status as would be ours if we had surrendered much of our self-government to the Federal Parliament more and no less. For Mr. See and his fellow Premiers to expect to give away their cake and to have it is a trifle absurd. New Zealand can well afford to leave the matter in Imperial hands, for no action of any master of ceremonies can alter political facts or make any informed person misunderstand the different positions occupied by dependent Commonwealth States and independent British colonies. New Zealand is New Zealand, however Mr. Seddon may go to London, and whatever place he may occupy in the Coronation procession,-