The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1884. Federation

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 15, 7 February 1884, Page 2

The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1884. Federation

.+- Sir George Grey has delivered an address on Federation, which is characterised by a section of the Southern Press as the embodiment of common sense, wisdom, and constitutional principle. He claims that our delegates had no right to pledge us. We cannot surrender our constitution to the keeping of a distant authority. He thinks we are federated already, as much as is good for us, with England, and most important of all, he thinks we have quite enough to do to attend to our own affairs. Sir George knows how unprincipled the Government is politically, and is aware that unless something is done quickly Federation will be an accomplished fact before our representatives know what Federation is. It is evident that Sir Geo. Grey intends to take the leadership of the Opposition during the next session out of the feeble hands of Mr Montgomery, and therefore we may confidently expect that many valuable weeks will be spent in idle vapourings and wild harangues against a scheme of which Sir Geokge Grey may be called the creator. If Sir George deliberately intended to strengthen the hands of the present Miuistry, he could not have adopted a better course. It seems remarkable that the plan of Federation, which is the outcome of the collected wisdom and experience of some of the most talented men of the Colonies, should have suddenly become almost criminal, and for the sole reason that Sir George was not permitted to assist at the assembly of delegates. Many persons who were of doubtful allegiance to the scheme will now become strong partisans in its favor, for perhaps no better reason than the sudden change of front on the part of its originator.