IMPERIAL FEDERATION. ADDRESS BY MR PARKIN.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 358, 10 April 1889, Page 5

IMPERIAL FEDERATION. ADDRESS BY MR PARKIN.

Auckland, April 6. Mb Parkin, of Canada, addressed a meeting of citizens yesterday afternoon at 3-30 o'clock in the large room of the New Zealand Insurance Buildings upon Imperial Federation. Amongst chose present were : —His 1 Worship the Mayor (who occupied the chair), Captain Colbcck (President of tlie Chamber of Commerce), W. P. Moat, H.H.R., and Mr F. Moss, M.H.R. His Worship the Mayor said that Mr Parkin had consented to address them upon the question of Imperial federation. At present in New Zealand they appeared to bo apathetic with regard to this matter, but it was a question which in the future | would be of tho utmost importance to New Zealand and, all the Australian colonies. Perhaps the reason why they did not at present bake much interest in federation in New Zealand was because they were not sufficiently versed in the subject- If thsy did not take an interest in it in the future it would perhaps mean the exclu«"on of New j Zealand from a large federated^ 1 upire. 5M r \ Parkin would tell them, no doubt, of the ' necessity for federation, and give them data so that iv future arguments they would have some foundation on which to base their action. He then called upon Mr Par-

IMPERIAL FEDERATION LEAGUE. He would tell them about the Imperial Federation League. It was first started by that great statesman W. E. Foster, and since his death Lord Roseberry, of whom j Mr Gladstone had said that he would be, in the future, the Liberal leader, had taken the chairmanship of the League. It was entirely unpolitical. Should his party get into power then Lord Roseberry would resign his position, and a Conservative would probably be appointed to the position. It was entirely unsectarian. Archbishop OBrien, of Halitax, was one of the vice-presidents, while a Protestant bishop was another vice president. He had found in his journeyings that the greatest interest was shown in the subject by the thinking men of the community. It was engaging the minds of the great I men of the Empire. He would indicate the objects of the League, and the necessity for its existence. There was a feeling ! of unity in all British people. At the same time in some of the great colonies influences were tending towards separation. That was a natural result, and it was evident that they would soon have to choose between separation or confirmation of their unity. Supposing that 100 years a^o the American States bad remained friendly towards England, and that it had grown to its present size as a British colony. Did they suppose that the 60 millions of Americans would have allowed the 30 millions in the British Islands to control their policy ? On the other hand, was it possible to think that the 30 millions of British people would have remained content to bear the expense of protecting and governing" the 60 millions? At present there were 11 million English people outside Great Britian. It was almost certain that within the next 25 years the population of these colonies would be equal to the population of England. Already in the recent Fisheries Convention Canada had been allowed to be represented, but that was a piece of courtesy. In Australia there was great friction simply because she had not that direct voice in fche affairs of the nation to which she was entitled. There was an instance of that in the Chinese question. The Federationists claimed that no Anglo - Saxon was satisfied unless he had lull power of self government. If. was now perfectly certain that as they grew into nations they must have a voice in the great foreign policy, in which tkey had great interests on .account of its result to their commerce. ■That proved that the existing condition ot things could not long continue. On the other hand, they might say that it could not foe organised into Imperial federation. *His answer was that ever since the days of Alfred fche Great it had always been shown that the Anglo-Saxon race could organise as required by the exigencies of the moment. That had been shown when the kingdoms were combined into one nation. It had been shown in America, where the numerous states had been combined into one nation.

which commanded the China Seas, and the Pacific Islands with their coaling stations ; also the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. All these coaling and naval stations gave Britain almost an absolute command of the ocean. She could almost paralyse the commerce of any one nation ot the world. They must, therefore, look to their interests in the future and hold these waterways. The Federation League said that they should try in the future ?o to combine the different parts of the Empire that it could not be assailed. (Applause.) He had addressed audiences in various parts ofthe Empire, but had never jot found men whowere noo careful of the interests of their motherland. (Applause.) Some time ago a great London paper had headed an article

VAST DEPOSITS OF COAL on Vancouver, ab one side, and Nova Scotia on the other. Only recently a coal deposit estimated at 55,000 square miles had been fo-ind in the interior. Then they had a large wheat-growing area. Mr Parkin then spoke afc some length upon the immense natural resources of Canada.

NO CONNECTION WITH THE UNITED STATES. Canada was also separated from the United States by climate. They were built up from the Northern races of Europe, who were stronger, while the Southern races emigrated to the United States. The mass of Canadians were in favour of continued British connection, so were the French Canadians, as by it alone could they keep the guarantee of Great Britain as to the preservation of their identity. Their instinct separated them from America. When the United States was formed, 40,000 loyalists came out of the States and went into the wilds and formed Canada. Therefore, they might dismiss from their minds the idea of an1 nexation. In America, they thought so much ot unity that they spent millions of money and wasted thousands of lives to obtain it.

AUSTRALIA FOR INDEPENDENCE. In Australia he was told that there was a strong feeling in, favour of independence. They held chat there was no need for them to be mixed up in European matters. He considered, howe\er, that for all practical purposes Australia was more European than tome European states. He was told that each year Australia had £50,000,000 worth of goods pass through the Suez Canal. That meant that the whole Eastern que&tion interested Australia. If the British possession of the canal was cut off, and Kussia had India, where would be the trade of Australia? There was no such thing as isolation, for the warships of Europe were ah'eady within striking distance of Australia ; therefore, it was essential that they should keep up connection with a great naval power. Much was said about the expense of federation, but he doubted very much whether there was any great Anglo-Saxon community which was not willing to accept tho expenses and responsibilities connected with greatness.

when you have gob your nation builb up, then wo will expeeb bhab you will bear your share of Uio oxpenses of the Empire, and you yourselves will want lo."

FREE TRADE AND FAIR TRADE. He believed that ib would be ad viable if England would exercise a discriminative policy towards the colonies. That would be to make a concession, so as to direct the flow cf emigration to British colonies rather than elsewhere. In tho " Nineteenth Century," speaking at the National Mutual Club, Sir Lyon Playfair said : — "I am told by ail Metropolitan members, Liberal and Conservative, that the doctrines of fair trade have taken deep root in their constituencies. That they have done so throughout the countiy, we must assume from the fact thai, out of 1,000 delegates to the Conservative associations assembled at Oxford in the autumn of 18S7, only twelve voted against a resolution which, if it meant anything, was one for imposing protective duties not only on food, but also on all foreign manufactures." At present England indulged in free trade, but suppose in the future the sixty-five million in America struck for free trade. Why, their own big manufacturing cities would be squeezed like a wet sponge, and they were down at starvation point now, otherwise they would not require sweating commissions. But with federation the Empire could reply to Ameiica, "We ha\e four hundred millions, and we will hold our own." (Applause.) In Canada they reckoned every immigrant worth .$1,500, and yet Britain let them go away to America by thousands. By a discriminating policy, say a concessibn of 10 per cent, in favour of her colonies, this stream of emigrants might be directed to dcv clop the other portions of the Empire. On the other hand, the colonies could afford to give a concession of 10 per cent, in favour of British goods. Britain and her colonies had £1200,000,000 atloat in commerce every year. What loot for the naval and military Powers of Europe ! Therefore, it behoved them to consider what was the best means of protecting 1 " their commerce. Mr I 'ark in next alluded to the importance of defending the coaling stations, and pointed out that in the event of war coal would be the great requisite of foreign cruisers. He said it was true that both France and Germain had s=ome coaling stations, but men had to be sent out at great expense to defend them, while in our colonies there were men at hand ready to do that. If thecolonies intended to be a power in the future, ho thought it must be in the manner indicated by Imperial federation. He hoped that in Auckland they would think it out, and then make their opinions known, for English statesmen had said that when it did come it must be from the colonies. Mr Parkin concluded by asking any who heard him to point out any fallacies they thought they saw in hi& argument, as he wanted an expression of opinion in the colonies. A vote of thanks was accorded Mr Parkin at the close ot his speech, and a similar honour was given the chairman, after which the meeting separated.