FEDERATION OF THE COLONIES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3610, 6 February 1883, Page 4

FEDERATION OF THE COLONIES.

In speaking of Federation, for the most part people 011 tliis side of the world only mean the federation of the Australian, or at most the Australasian colonies. But Sir John Macdonald, and his friend Sir Alex. Gait, are well known to have had frequent consultations with Lord Beuconstield and Lord Caernarvon upon the wider question of an Imperial federation, which should knit the scattered parts of the British Empire more closely together. The scheme includes the representation of the colonies in the House of Commons, and perchance of Lords. Tt was to forward these views that Sir A. Gait was appointed High Commissioner in lieu of an ordinary AgentGeneral. The small distance between England and Canada, the dangers to which Canada is always exposed on the United States border, the quality of her population idl make Imperial Federation a pressing question with her. In these Colonies the distance is greater, the dangers in time of war at least apparently less, and there is the further difficulty of the formation of an Australian Dominion. There is no disguising the fact that in spite of effusive demonstrations of loyalty on the part of the English population in Canada, the French population is still far from heartily loyal, and the Irish immigration has strengthened the movement for " cutting the painter " and joining the United States. Here and in Australia there is ro section of the population worth mentioning , which is not entirely loyal to the British Crown, and our power and importance, instead of being overshadowed are rather protected by the"Mother Country. A certain measure of federation would no doubt be practicable, particularly in Ihc matter of defence. For anything further we are hardly ripe yet. But the appointment of a Royal Commission can, at least, do no harm, and by calling- furtherjittention to the subject, ni;:y .-'-'oil. "VS c unimut, however, think that Sir Alexander's comparison to the German Federation was at all a, happy one. The circumstances are altogether different.