The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays) SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 1878.

Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 344, 3 August 1878, Page 2

The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays) SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 1878.

COLONIAL FEDERATION. "W iiat is Federation? “ When several States, otherwise independent, bind themselves together by a treaty, so as to

present to the external world the aspect of a single State, without wholly .renouncing their individual powers of internal snll’-govcrnment,, they are said to form a Federation.” Let this mutatis mutandis bo applied to the Colonies, and wa have 1 Colonial Federation.’ By way of illustration wc cannot do better than relate what has been done in British America, whore a Colonial Federation is already in existence. Previous to March 1867, them were in North America, sewn colonies, from each other, politically, as distinctly as New Z ■aland an 1 Victoria, and geographically, ns far as tho seven colonies made np of Australia, New Zonlanl, ami Tasmania.. The subject of union had fur a long time been eeg nly discussed, but the weaker colonics held back from fear that they should bo swamped in the united councils by the populous and wealthy Canadas. In 1867, however, the. fear gave way on the part ot Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and they united with Upper and Lower Canada (now Ontario and Quebec) to form the nucleus of the Union called the Dominion ot Canada. These four colonies had an area of 377,000 square miles, and a population of more than 3,000,000. The whole was presided over by a GovernorGeneral, and each colony (now province) by a Lieutenant-Governor. Each province was constituted much as before, having its own legislature and executive, with [lower to tax itself for purely provincial purposes, and to borrow money on its own security. The chief legislative power, however, rested with the Parliament of the Union, widen consisted of an Upper House m Senate (nominated by the Governor-General), and a House of Commons (elective). 'To the latter Ontario returned 82 members, Quebec 65, Nova Scotia 19, and New Brunswick 15. This Assembly dealt with nothing of a purely local character, but criminal law, postal services, money, weights and measures, military and naval defences, taxation for federal purposes, the public debt (which was with certain limitations “ lumped” in the Act of Union), and many other matters came under its control. “ Provision is made for the introduction of uniformity of laws, which, however, must be with consent of the several provinces.” British Columbia joined the Dominion in 1869, and the Hudson’s Bay Company being bought out, their vast territories were annexed in 1871; ns was also the Red River Settlement. Prince Edward’s Island acceded to tho Dominion in 1873. We believe Newfoundland yet stands aloof, but cannot do so long. In so short a time as ten years the Union has become all but complete. Government is simplified and cheapened, and these provinces enabled in a national crisis to act with that unity which is strength. This great dominion, comprising more territory than the United States, has an active militia of 30,000 men,- a debt of £23,216,000, and a gross revenue of £8,336,000.

"We cannot spare space to speak of 1 South African Confederation,’ which has been much debat'd of late, but will come at once to what is of immediate interest to us in New Zealand. We have here, in the South, a group of colonics with prospects at least as bright as those of North America ; indeed, we do not doubt that fifty years hence, Australasia will, in all the elements of political importance, exceed the Canadian Dominion. Yet very little has been said or done towards the federation of these countries, though so much of their future greatness depends on union. Yet we hear from many quarters, of 1 Imperial Federation.’ To attempt tire higher order of union before we have attained the lower, seems to ns like beginning to build a tower at the top. Let the colonies be united among themselves, and they can then with more authority and grace, ask a share in the Councils of the Empire. No doubt the wonderful prosperity, the poacable history, the absence of foreign rivals, the reliance on British protection, the press of local questions, and the jealousies and go-aheadism of these (Southern colonies, have precluded any steps being taken which have reference to the distant future, and provide against a danger never seriously felt.

But lot us forecast Hie Australasian Dominion which will, we trust, exist before the present century closes. Its natural centre is Australia. The first colonies to federate will probably bo Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia. The Federal Parliament will meet, oay, in Melbourne, where also a Governor-General will reside. The public debts will be unified; public defences, criminal law, postal services, &c., as in the case of Canada, will be under the control of the Federal Government, and each colony will have its Parliament and Lieutenant-Governor. Meanwhile, Western Australia will bo convinced that she had nothing to lose and will join the Dominion, while the Northern territory will be annexed. Tasmania will not long endure being left out in the cold. With New Zealand, however, there will be more difficulty. She will be confident in her high destiny and afraid of being crippled by parting with her sovereignly ; afraid also of not getting her share of good things such as Mail Services and Ocean Cables. Australia, on the other hand, will refuse to take over the 'heavy debt of New Zealand, and will see difficulties in the protection of her large number of ports. Years will probably be spent in debating

these questions ; but that union will be the result wo can scarcely doubt. Fiji and New Guinea will make the circle oi States complete. The Dominion will then embrace every climate of the globe and will be ‘ a world in itself.’