FEDERATION COMMISSION

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1523, 28 February 1901, Page 28

FEDERATION COMMISSION

' The Federation Commission will probably open its sittings at the Parliamentary Buildings on Monday morning. Amongst those who have been invited to give evidence are Messrs William Booth (Wairarapa), John Duncan, Gresley Lukin, J. L. Kelly, J. S. Balrymple (Feilding), R. K. Simpson (Rangitikei), A. E. Russell (Palmerston North), W. Crabbe, Samuel Brown, Nicholas Reid, T. W. Hislop, J. McPherson, Andrew Collins, J. B. Heywood, W. T. Glasgow, Dr Findlay, Colonel Penton and Major Madocks. Gentlemen, who volunteer evidence will also be heard. Exception has been taken in some of the Southern papers because the Federation Commissioners did not hold sittings at the smaller centres like Oaxnaru and Timaru. The reasonable reply to this criticism is that if the Commissioners stopped at Oamiaru and Timaru they might justly be called upon to hold sittings at Masterton, Palmerston North, Feilding, Wanganui and all the smaller towns of the colony. As the Commission is costing the colony something like £2OO a day, and as a number of the gentlemen who- compose it have not a'year or two to devote to matters outside their businesses, it is perhaps as well that any process which would unduly prolong its sittings should be avoided. The position, is that any reputable member of»the community can volunteer evidence, afxd, that in the case of witnesses from a distance their expenses are paid. This being the case, it is hard to realise that hardship will be suffered by any section of the community as the result of the course which is being pursued.