A GREATER COMMONWEALTH.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 430, 13 January 1912, Page 5

A GREATER COMMONWEALTH.

FEDERATION WITH NEW ZEALAND. By Telegraph— Prose- Assoriation.-Cop.vriirlU Received January 12, 10.30 p.m. Hobart, Yesterday. Mr Fisher, the Commonwealth Prime Minister, speaking at the Labour Conference declared he was impressed with the belief that the interests, welfare and safety of the Commonwealth and New Zealand were mutually bound u£) in each other. It was extremely desirable that closer political, industrial and commercial relations should be established between the two countries. He recommended the Commonwealth Government to immediately open negotiations with the New Zealand Government on the lines of his resolution. Mr Fihser, in moving the resolution, declared the Dominion would undoubtedly favour the federation of the two peoples, who both recognised the fate of one to be the fate of the other if ever they happened to come into conflict with a greater people more powerful than themselves. It was becoming for the Labour Party to take the lead in opening negotiations with New Zealand. Mr McGowen, Premier of New South Wales, in seconding the motion, said Australia had to deplore the fact that New Zealand was outside the Federation when they realised the Dominion led them all in the early days in democratic and progressive legislation. The wisdom of her being with the rest of Australia was admitted, he believed, from every standpoint. It was not only in the interests of Australia but the interests of Australasia that New Zealand and the rest of the islands ofthe Pacific should be allied.