The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1912. AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1458, 5 June 1912, Page 6

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1912. AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND.

Although Mr. Fisher, the Prime Minister of Australia, has been very industriously enlarging upon the advantages to New Zealand of entry into the Federation, and reiterating his conviction that this country will in time become an Australian State, it cannot be said that he has aroused more than a cold and critical interest on .this side of the Tasman Sea. Events have moved so rapidly during the past decade that most people have forgotten that there once was a possibility that we might enter the Federation, and that a Royal Commission travelled extensively through New Zealand to inquire into the ease for amalgamation. The Commission reported against federation, but there was-nothing like the firm objection to the idea then that certainly exists in tho public mind today. In his valuable book, Studies ■in Colonial Nationalism, Mr. B._C. Jkbb notes the origin of this feeling as that enthusiasm of New Zealanders for New Zealand as a nation which was bom of the South African war: "The conduct of the New Zealand contingents, described by their own war correspondents, had awakened the latent sense of a separate and indigenous patriotism. Suddenly the people of the colony had seized the idea that they were indeed an island race apart, to their future glory rather than to their present misfortune; no longer 'Britons of the South,' nor Australasians, but Maorilandcrs first." The froth of this national fermentation has subsided, we fancy: no respectable New Zealandcr cares now to roar defiance to the world from his superior elevation. But there remains in New Zealand a strong and powerful sense of the value of independence under the Crown. New Zealanders have not been encouraged by the twelve years'of Federation to commit their political fortunes to the majority across the Tasman Sea; indeed, bad enough though politics have been here during the past twelve years, there ran never have been many people willing to fly for a change to incorporation in the Commonwealth.

Nino or ten years ago Sir Guotige Rkid asked, ami perhaps appeared to many people to be putting his finger on the vital spot, "How long will New Zealand be able to. pro-servo-win indepondent orbit in the presence of a powerful gravitation and attraction such as Australia .will .then possess , !" It is a striking figure, but there is nothing in it. There are only two linos along which Australia might possibly exercise any force- upon New Zealand—the lines of trade and defence; but no means appear whereby Xr-u , Zealand eould li,! impelled 'hnviirils .Fedfi'iUion along either of Llicsn lines. A hosl.ili! tariff would not affect New Zealand seriously enough to compel it to surrender its independence of the Commonwealth: and as a fact Australia's interests lie in the direction

of freer trade. jTfir wpnlcl .evert the 1 necessity for a n.iiv.al :partne.rsh.ij> hk-. tween the two c.Qiiii.t.iHQ.s. vpqj'i.vs ail.v interference wi.tlj. the 'coiistitutiijirar foundations of either coiinli-y. Jilij. ■ Fisher docs not appear to liav.e been at all happy in the latest turn he has given to lii's- .cburtphrii. His' "liope that yoiing. infea: l'ivi:iig in the most democratic.ijfiitn'tvy i.ri the , worid. would embrace tile' .p.p.por.tiii.iijfcy tu.: lead and guide ..pub.lrc; tjibuglit in Australia" is takgil by the Sydney Daily Telegraph to: n.i'e.iin thai. .Mr.. Fisher wants "an: infliix o:f youiig j New Zealand vd.teiis. to .A : us.tra.lia. to j teach its benighted, denizen?, Jiowj things ought tp .bo , , .d.oii.e , .'' , ' The jibe is just. Perhfips.. .t'liere i is np need. to say anythfiig iibo.ivt ihc cj.uain.ti. anxiety of soinpf-.-timotiDrifil , px-jjew Zealand "Liberals,';'' to call. S : !R Joseph Ward itft'tlie rescue ;o.f Aiisj , tralia. A smile is all : p.diten..cs.s Tj'fll, permit. These; 6f cfiiirsps p:6 but , little embellishments: pi sfe stolid preaching .oi- a polifctcal Aufc tralasiau Feder.ajt'ifin. . Sobp.dy can. say that such a;.,Ffedevati.Qii lyi'll n.e.yeiv come to pass, ;fiu"t. npthing is- more I certain than tlvat" it ; \vi!ir iieVci , 'conae, to pass unless; a. rnii.t'.ej ; iai : ■cha.iige in. the face of tljo* ■svp.r.l.d , takes, plice. The great mass,;p'f ;New. Zpatiinxlers', we have np heiSitatifla ja Saj-In'g-, i-e : - sent tho idea..:of 'Federati.pii. , . But there is the warmest ■f.i'ipndline's.si in this country 'fti.r free. .cp.-opei;at;i.p.n with the Coniindnweailf'h. fn. jjjiy fi&jcl. in which free'.'c.p.-.opgratipii , is. possible. ;■;■;.". ■ ■