AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1514, 7 March 1901, Page 30

AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION

THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN. SYDNEY, March 4. Mr G. H. Reid will visit Queensland as a counterblast to the Federal Premier’s election campaign in that colony. BRISBANE, March 4. Mr E. Barton concluded his election campaign by addressing a large meeting in the Exhibition Building. He had a splendid reception. Mr R. Philp, State Premier, said he hoped that Queensland would return a majority of members to both Houses pledged to support Mr Barton. He also trusted that the Federal Ministers would take a trip through the State before they attempted any legislation on the sugar industry. The Chamber of Commerce discussed xMr Barton’s attitude) towards coloured labour, and adopted a resolution in favour of asking the Federal Premier to appoint a Royal Commission to inquire into the sugar and other tropical industries before any legislation is introduced dealing with coloured labour. SYDNEY, March 5. __ The writs for the Federal Senate elections have been issued. ADELAIDE, March 4. Nominations for the Federal Parliament closed to-day. Eleven nominations were received for the Senate, including four members of the State Assembly, and six of the Council, amongst whomi are the Hons. T. Flayford, D. M. Charleston and G. McGregor, Sir J. H. Symon, Sir R. C. Baker (President of the Legislative Council), and Sir J. W. Downer. For the Federal House of Representatives seventeen nominations were received, including the Hon F. W. Holder (State Premier), Hon E. L. Batchelor (State Minister of Education), Sir W. L. Ronython, and five other members of the Assemblv. BRISBANE, March 5. Great difficulty has been experienced in delivering the Federal election documents in the outside districts owing to the effect of the drought. In some districts special coaches were necessary, and- others could only be reached' by means of camels. LONDON, March 5. A Reuter’s message states that Sir Wilfrid _ Lauxier will be unable to visit Australia for the opening of the Federal Parliament, and tiro Hon W. Mulock, Postmaster-General, will represent Canada, THE NEW ZEALAND COMMISSION. AUCKLAND, March 4. The Federation -Commission commenced its Auckland session this morning at the municipal buildings. '• The Hon William Rofleston, in answer to questions, stated that he had expressed his ideas on Imperial and Australian federation in a paper which he had handed in. In his paper, which was read by the secretary, Mr Rolleston said federation of the Empire must he a 'matter of gradual development. The maintenance of local independence and autonomy, together with the promotion of closer alliance with the Mother Country, ..were great principles to be kept in view. As to the establishment of an

Australian Commonwealth, including New Zealand’, he could not give an unqualified opinion. A mutual federal tie, but without any surrender of local autonomy, would be of advantage to Australia and New Zealand. He could not believe that as between these two common interests could not be regulated by a commercial treaty. Federation in that sense he regarded as a most desirable thing. The mixed system of finance under which the States and Commonwealth dipped their hands into the same purse would have a tendency to promote conflict between the local, and federal Governments, and the central power would be likely to prevail. Federation should rather be a delegation by groups of States of some of their Common functions to a central power as the occasion arose for the constitution of a central authority, with powers of overruling and absorbing the legislation and administration of States. ■ Australasian federation would not necessarily be ; a step to Imperial federation, and he could imagine circumstances under which it might lead to an opposite result. The of-* feet of intercolonial freetrade upon our manufactures was hard to estimate. It

might lead to our industries being seriously affected by competition with Australian goods. The effect upon our export of farm produce was equally hard to foresee.

IVir Peter Virtue,. manager of the Northern Roller Milling Company, said in his opinion it was not to the interests of the colony to federate with the Commonwealth, but he thought a reciprocal tariff would work admirably. This colony had shhoped to Australia a large amount of produce, sometimes owing to drought there, but more often to overproduction in New Zealand. If tbe bulk of New Zealand merchants were asked if they had benefited financially by shipping to Australia during the last fifteen years he thought he would be quite safe in anticipating their reply to be “No.”

Mr James Park, manager of the Onehmiga Woollen Mills, said his opinion of federation as affecting the woollen trade was that we were better as we were. New Zealand mills could not compete with the Australian so long as the latter manufactured shoddy so largely. If the woollen goods made in Australia were all as pure as those of NeW Zealand our mills could easily hold their own.

Dr Richard Laishley, barrister and solicitor, said he had given considerable attention to the question of federation. As far as his information went he thought the balance of arguments against New Zealand federating was overwhelming. The three main arguments in favour of federation —a protective tariff, defence and alliance with: a great Commonwealth —were, he thought, largely over-weighed by other arguments.

Mr A. C. Whitney, manager of the Colonial Ammunition Company, said the company had an establishment in Australia. If New. Zealand federated he believed the Auckland works would be given up and moved to Australia. That was if the company had a free hand, but the Government might have something to say in the matter. , The Rev J. Andrew, vice-chancellor of the New Zealand University, said he would be sorry to see New Zealand federate. New Zealand was too far away from Australia, and so small, that she would bo overborne by the other States. There were problems New Zealand could best work out for herself.

Mr William McLaughlin, a farmer, opposed federation. He did not think federation would give a larger market for our produce. Mr Thos. Hadfield, a bootmaker, believed the prevailing feeling among operative bootmakers was against federation, because of the tariff.- He believed the industry would suffer. Mr S. Vaile, recently president of the Chamber of Commerce, was against New Zealand entering the Federation. It would destroy the national life of New Zealand. Thirty-five subjects now dealt with by the New Zealand P'arliment would bo taken out of the hands of the State Parliament. 'He feared New Zealand would also suffer in the matter of railways.

Mr Matthew Clark, president of the Auckland Provincial Industrial Association, thought financially federation would be a mistake. As a manufacturer, he thought the industries of New Zealand would he seriously injured. Only a few industries would be able to hold their own.

Mr Albert Sandford, representing the Tailoresses’ Union, said the union was opposed to federation. Mr Thos. Peacock was also opposed to New Zealand joining the Commonwealth. AUCKLAND, March 5. At the Federation Commission’s sitting to-day two witnesses were in favour of federation, and all the others against. With the exception of the Rev G. Mac Murray, Vicar of St. Mary’s Cathedral, the evidence was mainly a repetition of the reasons for and against already given. Mr Mac Murray made the most exhaustive ' and pronounced statement in favour of federation'so far given here.