REFERENDUM ON FEDERATION

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4298, 6 March 1901, Page 5

REFERENDUM ON FEDERATION

TO BE TAKEN WITH THE CENSUS. DECISION OF THE GOVERNMENT.

Taking' advantage of the opportunity presented by the census, the Government lias decided that a referendum with' reference-; to. the federation of New Zealand with Australia shall he taken at the same time that the population of this colony is ascertained. The necessary papers are already' being printed.

The question submitted will he, “Are you in favour of federating with Australia ?” Then will follow the words “ Yes” and “No.”

Th» voters will strike out either of these words, so as to make the paper denote their views. Males and females of and over the age of twenty-one years will be the only persons eligible to vote. The enumerators and, sub-enumerators will deliver at each house a votingpaper for each adult inmate. Detailed instructions for the referendum are being prepared by the Premier, and when they are ready they will be published. The suggestion which was made that a question about federation should be one of those on the census paper was absolutely impracticable. Such a course would have led to great confusion. As indicated, therefore, there will be' a separate paper for the referendum. It will, of course, be some considerable time before the returns ,of , the voting can be compiled. They will, however, be' ready for presentation to Parliament next session. Parliament will thus have before it the evidence as to the desirableness of federation given before the Royal Commission in Now Zealand! and Australia, the opinion of the Commission, and the views of the jeople of New Zealand as a whole as earnt by means of the referendum. The experiment of taking a referendum will naturally be followed with great interest.