IMPERIAL FEDERATION. AGITATION IN CANADA. WILL AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND CO-OPERATE ?

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 357, 6 April 1889, Page 6

IMPERIAL FEDERATION. AGITATION IN CANADA. WILL AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND CO-OPERATE ?

Amongst the passengers by the R- M^' Mariposa from San Francisco was Mr Or. R. Perkins, who has come to visib the colonies on the invitation of the Australian branch of the Imperial federation League, and is at present staying at the Northern Club. Mr Parkins hasfctaken a great interest in Imperial Federation, and has delivered addresses in support of this movement in Great*. Britain and in Canada, under the / auspices ot the Canadian • Branch of -the League.- He is also an author, and is pro- ,-. minently connected with educational affairs in the Canadian Dominion. In conversation with a Star representative this forenoon Mr Perkins said : It was at the suggestion of the Imperial Federation League of New Zealand and Australia that I came to the colonies, and the special object of my visit is to advance the cause of Imperial Federation. My intention is to study the conditions of the colonies as affected by this question as closely as I can, and to find out what is the state of public feeling on the subject. I will- albo deliver addresses in Australia under the direction of the Melbourne branch of the League, and prior co my departure from New Zealand I may possibly express my views on the subject here. 1 came from Halifax to Vancouver, speaking in most of the large towns, such as Otway, Montreal, Toronto, St. John, Kingston, St. Thomas, and Vancouver, under the auspices of the Canadian Branch of the League. I found everywhere large audiences, eager to listen, and a great deal of enthusiasm on fcfae subject. New branches ot the League are rapidly being lormed in Canada, and in my opinion the movement there is a very strong, one although perfectly new. Is there any particular scheme of federation proposed by the League ? None at all. The idea ot the movement is that no scheme should be promulgated, that it ia not the business of the League to promulgate a scheme, that the business which the League has to undertake is to arouse publio attention to the state of things . which is drawing us either towards federation .or inclining us towards separation; that these conditions are such that we believe that if we do not have federation we shall have something else, separation, and that we must arouse the public mind clearly to that idea. You think that some scheme will come ont of that ? Yes, the argument we have is that a great country like Canada cannot allow its foieign policy to be entirely controlled from Great Britain — neither can Australia — and that many circumstances prove that this is the case ; that this evil would have a tendency to inincrease unless these great colonies have an open voice in the great policy of the Empire ; and on the other hand we believe that England will nfever be' able to bear the whole weight of that ' Emphe. Sneaking of the discontent in Canada on the" supposed desire on the part of Nova Scotia to join the United States, which we • have heard so much about, Mr Parkins said.' — There is nothing in it. I have spoken to several of the leading men, ih^Nova Scotia, on the subject, and they ridicule- the assertion. They say that there is really no de- • sire for separation, and that the Dominion - system has worked remarkably wellMr Parkins also stated that he would stay in Auckland till the end of the-week. He feels that in Canada and he believes in Australia and New Zealand . also, the que&tion of luiptrial Federation is coming up shortly, and that it is time it should be attracting careful consideration. It is to be hoped that Mr Parkins will be induced to deliver an 1 address to the Chamber of Commerce ' here upon this interesting question, upon winch he is an excellent authority and able to impart much valuable information.