AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4301, 9 March 1901, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION

THE FEDERAL CONTINGENT. , PROPOSAL WILL POSSIBLY BE ] ABANDONED. .. .. , ' 1 In view of the fact that the press from i one end of the country to the other is i opposed to this colony making a 1 display at the opening of the Common- ; wealth Parliament, it is thought possible that the Government will abandon the scheme. . .. There is prima facid evidence that cn, majority of the representatives of the people are opposed to the sending away of troops for that purpose. The proposal seems to have been generally supported by members of the Upper House.,' but as these gentlemen are not tisuaUy consulted in regard to necessitating the expenditure of public funds, there are many who fail to see why then vote in regard to this matter should ce allowed to weigh in _ the balance. There is a strong opinion in Welling ton that the members of the House of Kenresentatives, who are responsible to their constituents, should have been the arbiters in this matter. ' A representative of the Times gleaned from a number of representative citizens yesterday the opinion that New Zealand would be as inadequately represented by one hundred uniformed men as she would have been made ridiculous by sending one thousand. The general opinion seems to he that the matter should be allowed to drop.

THE NEW ZEALAND COMMISSION. PEEBS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, March 8. At the Federation Commission to-day Mr James Hume (miller) and Mr J. C. Mackj' (warehouseman) were against federation. A .deputation from the Auckland Agricultural Association said the question had not been fully discussed by the association, but the general opinion was favourable to federation. They did not, however, advocate rushing into federation, but thought it wise to wait some years, study the subject further, and' gain experience from the experiment in Australia.