NEW ZEALAND AND THE COMMONWEALTH.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 9036, 3 January 1901, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND AND THE COMMONWEALTH.

MR SEDDON INTERVIEWED. TALKS OF A FASTER STEAM SERVICE. PROMISES NO REPRISALS. E ectrio Telegraph—Copyright- United Press Association. (Received January 3, 9 a.m.) SYDNEY, Jan. 3. In the course of an interview, Mi Seddon said: Without being m" the Federation, there remains good-will towards our colony. Our working out our owr destiny will m no way interfere with oi endanger the continuance of that good feeling. In face of the~Royal Commis sion on Federation just appointed ir New Zealand, I do not deem it advisable to intrude my opinion. I might give ar opinion now from what I have seen anc heard, and when the Commission makes ita report they might prove my deduc tions -all wrong. _ One thing necessary above all others v to get closer connection between Austra lia and New Zealand by reducing thi distance. We must get faster vessels When we secure vessels of the Lucanit or Campania class, more especially dur ing . the summer months, which woul< perhaps mean that passengers would onl; be two nights on shipboard, when *th( voyage across will be little ' more thai a pleasure trip—when that time come: there will be an interchange of peopli astounding and astonishing. There maj yet be a Commonwealth and New Zea land federal steam service. I would no hesitate to enter into a partnership to morrow, for that purpose. I am satisfied there will be no repris als as far as New Zealand is concerned The Ministry are all friendly, and then need be no anxiety^ whatever on tha point. I am convinced that as far a: New Zealand is concerned there is ni necessity for alarm or even anxiety, am certainly the good feeling now existing which is universal, would prevent any thing being done which would be es pecially injurious to our colony. Aus tralia hasrhad enough of border tar wars, and I am sure will not have an] more of- that sort of thing.