South Canterbury Times, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1882.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2787, 28 February 1882, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1882.

The federation of the Australasian colonies; has: long been a dream of ■ politicians. For years past it has presented itself to thoughtful men as something Worthy to be achieved. It has been felt and realised that the commercial and social interests of every ' colony are involved in it, and many look anxiously forward to the day when the interest of each colony shall be merged in the general interest of a Federal Union. It may be safely asserted, not merely in a rhetorical sense, but in sober reason, that a great future lies before the Austral colonies of the Empire. They produce in luxuriant abundance everything that can enrich the Empire. Their grain, wool, and mineral productions are unequalled. These various centres are all of them parts of a; splendid whole ; and united, they would constitute a Dominion or a Federation that the Empire might well be proud of. Sooner: or later the Pacific islands must come within their jurisdiction. On them lies, arid must ever lie, the responsibility of civilizing these haunts of barbarism. They have it within their reach to secure the trade of the islands; and, by means of their combined resources j to win the highest place among the dependencies of the Mother Country. Each colony may .find, in addition to a ready market at Home, a good market in every neighboring colony. The commercial intercourse of the colonies is a factor worth i taking into consideration. But, in ; addition to this, there is the question of the unimpeded course of justice that would be secured by a Federal Union. That, for purposes of justice, suchUhion is desirable the records of our Courts : tell very distinctly. There is nothing iindre painfully common than the desertion of wives and families ;by scoundrels who get off to one of the other colonies and are thencefor- ; ward practically beyond recovery. In : the apprehension and conveyance of criminals of all sorts great loss of time and Expense are incurred which would be dispensed with if a reciprocity treaty of universal jurisdiction were in force. The federation we should.. desire to ; see would leave intact the government of each individual colony, but would unite all by a community of interest in commercial enterprise. We must also take into account the possibility (never too remote) of the colonies being threatened, by foreign powers. Were Great Britain, in spite of all care on the part of her rulers, to become involved in war with a foreign power, ■ her colonies would have to rely in a great measure on themselves for defence. The Mother Country could supply very little more than the nucleus of a defence force. The real strength would have to be supplied by the colonists themselves. In such a case (may we long be spared the calamity!) the common danger would precipitate united action and bring about in ; haste the union which we should prefer to see deliberately formed in a time of peace and security. It is pleasing to New Zealanders to find that recently a number of distinguished visitors from the sister colonies have visited our shores and devoted as much time as possible to a survey of our resources and an investigation of our political system and commercial state. Anything which tends to spread a knowledge of each other among colonists generally is to be welcomed—far better they should be companions in material and social progress than only rivals. If some of our politicians would give this matter their attention, bring it forward and keep it before the public mind until its advantges were generally perceived, the thing would before long be accomplished. That it .would stimulate production and trade, besides being full of advantage socially we have no , sort of ; doubt. The highest, most efficient, and most powerful Government is that in which there is local self-government in every section of the community, only subservient to the integrity und stability of the whole which it is equally the aim of every one to maintain. The AngloSaxon people have shown themselves pre-eminently capable of this form of constitutional government a fact of which the Federation of the Australasian colonies would be another proof. We hope to hear the matter fully and widely discussed, for we are convinced the day is not far distant when we shall be members of a great and glorious Federation, from whence the blessings of civilization will radiate to the innumerable islands of the Pacific.