NEW ZEALAND AND FEDERATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4295, 2 March 1901, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND AND FEDERATION.

Remembering that everyone is free l to tender evidence or opinion to the Koval Commission on Federation, that no oiler lias been, or is likely to be, refused, and that presumably every person who feels strongly in favour of New Zealand joining the Commonwealth has tendered evidence, tha consensus of opinion adverse to federation is really remarkable. (h 128 witnesses who have appeared before the Commission only about onc-fc.urlh have been favourable to this co-untij merging its destiny with that of Australia. It is noticeable, too, that as the Commission travels northward adverse opinion grows in volume. In >S elliagton two-thirds of these.v.ho K 3 ' e evidence were distinctly opposed to federation with Australia; the proportion of those who had no decided leaning one way or another was very small; and of the seven who declared in favour cf ieaeration several announced that they only did so in a general way, and would not approve of Now Zealand entering under the Commonwealth Act- as it c-tauds or on any other terms than those extended

to "original Stales, I: is almost unneceLcary to point cut that such approbation sounds vcr;. Lkc "dunsuiiig ivuut faint pidiso- Should il:e experience or Wellington he icycutci in Aucnluuu, the Commission will hav c quite an overwhelming veight or cpimcn ruvtvjs to any proposal besng m:i..c lor a change in tho constitution and. government. cf New Zealand. Not Urn k-.v.t gratifying feature of this concern a i ct opinion is that it is given cn grounds altogether independent, of partisan or class feeling. Labour representatives and country settlors are at one with merchants and manuiac:urc-S, while souse Oi t.io u.si i determined opponents or the boudoir 1 cvernment are found c.eclr.iiug ::our'v. os so well satisfied with its administration that thev would on no. account wish to see the centre of power shifted to Australia. It is worthy cf notice that the most ardent fedcraticnists in Wellington belong to tho legal profession. Mv T. V.. Hislop. Mr Martin Chapman and Mr V. J. o’Kegan nil .agree with our Chief Justice in t’aiuhing that it would be well lor New Zealand to cast in her lot with tin; Commonwealth. Wo need not sees areason for this agreement, for r oue may exist, but the fact is suggest iv-'_ _Mr O’l’cgaa, fdlowing Sir Robert Stbui» line of ariTunxcnt, anda light of the *.-h----jection that under federation our legnI iativo powers would be injurious!'- ro--1 slrioted. The argument advanced ’■-; altogether fallacious. being i.-asad upon • numerical considerations ami tithing no account of the relative importance el different statutes, id is trim (hat in the four years, 1897-1000. only fourteen Acts of the New Zealand IVliiunout were of tho class that would, wider federation, fall to the jurisdiction of tho Commonwealth; hut it is necessary to look at the nature oi theso Acts bolero eiMnpaimg their bulk with the mass of local, private and 1 formal .Acts that became law during tho same period. These fourteen statutes embraced tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, the Old mg l ' Pensions Act and amendments, the Banking Act, tho Immigration Restriction Act, tho Divorce Act, and tho Shipping and Seamen's Act. Here, we have laws al- . footing most vitally tho interests of tins . country and' dealing v-slb juaWcn. cf public policy with regard to which Nev. Zealand has very advanced views and divergent interests as compared with tho States of the Commonwealth. The ’ 1 iiioi'o mcuUoii of ihoi-ti s!:i I_ii t o;p, luiK'ii}.'-, ■ others, sliouid Ik* u convincing arguincnL ■ against federation. The fact, of our liav- [ fug these enlightened laws gives no guarantee that wd should be allowed to retain them if wo joined tho Commonwealth. His provided in. the Commonwealth Act that tho lavra of the diffor- ■ cut States are to continue; but there is tho significant addendum that if any law of a State is' inconsistent with a law of tho Commonwealth, tho latter is lo prevail to tho extent of the inconsistency. There is no room to doubt that the*people of Now Zealand fully appir--1 date tho position. They have wisely re- ■ solved, to “let well alone,” and neither. threats of Customs reprisals nor offers | of financial advantage will tempt them to barter aWay their “insular” indopendj enco and distinctive character.