FEDERATION INTERVIEW.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 23 April 1901, Page 3

FEDERATION INTERVIEW.

(PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.)

lleceivcd this day at 9 14 a m. Brisbane, This Day.

Leys interviewed said it was fear of mind among New Zealand people that if New Zealand entered the Commonwealth, the special interests of the colony might not be sufficiently studied by the Federal Parliament and, as a consequence, they might be hampered in the management of their own affairs. As instancing the way in which the colored labor question of Queensland has been discussed during the Federal elec' tions, he said it was very important to the industry that the special value of Queensland was being imperilled by the political cry raised in those states, which had interests at stake in connection with the employment of black labor. Whether such labor was necessary or not, the continuance of the development of this industry he certainly did not think had been considered judiciously, but was made a party cry without inquiry as to whether industry could be profitably carried on without black labor. There was no feeling of hostility raised against the Maoris of New Zealand. Eventually the Commonwealth would have under its rule the Islands of the Pacific. Ho thought it a pity that any intense racial feeling should be raised to the injury of a race, whose welfare the Commonwealth should have at heart.