THE FEDERATION COMMISSION.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 29 April 1901, Page 4

THE FEDERATION COMMISSION.

[by electric telegraph.—copyright.]

(per press association.)

Svdnrv, April 28. The following members of (lie New Zealand. Federal Commission arc passengers by (he WnilioraColonel I’itt, Captain Russell, lion. I'. C. Bowen, Mr Reid and wife, Mr Luke and wife. The others will probably leave (hiring next week, and assemble at Wellington on May Htb to draft (lie report. Mr Leys, interviewed, said that the Commissioners’ impression was that the people of New South Wales did not manifest any,great interest whether Now Zealand did or did not join Federation. The fact that they came here in the very midst of the Federal elections bad probably a good deal to do with this. In all tiro other colonies the enquiries of (ho Commission excited a good deal of public interest. At the same time it was of a very academic kind. The people or Australia feel towards New Zealand very much as New Zealanders fed towards them. There is a feeling of great friendliness, but there seems,to bo no very extensive knowledge of New Zealand affairs or unity of interest. The public men of all the States express a strong and sincere desire that New Zealand should come into the Federation. The enquiries raised doubts as to whether New Zealana should look for permanent markets for her products in these States, all had such large areas of agricultural lands capable of growing every kind of produce and the productiveness was expanding at such a rate that it was unlikely to bo dependent upon outside products except in times of exceptional scarcity. In regard to defence, it was agreed by all military experts consulted, that New Zealand’s defence would be the N avy, and for a very 1 mg period New Zea.

land must look to the British Navy for protection. He added that it must not bo inferred that the Commissioners had come to any conclusion adverse to Federation. Their labors were entirely directed towards taking evidence, and they purposely avoided all meetings for discussing the main issue till the whole of the evidence had been accumulated.