FEDERATION COMMISSION AT CHRISTCHURCH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 40, 25 February 1901, Page 4

FEDERATION COMMISSION AT CHRISTCHURCH.

[l' Ell PKESS ASSOCIATION.] (JmusTCHURCH, February 10. Henry Wood, iourmiller, gave evidene® to the effsct that Federation would be a bad thing for millera, as flour would compete on equal terms with South Island produce in the North Island. The South Island produced practically all the wheat from New Zealand, and could only send wheat to Australia ia time cf failure of cops there through drought. H F. Wigram, maister, said if New Zealand did nob federate p weuld probably kill the maltiog trade in New Zealand.

J. Gould, merchant, considered the farming industry would be greatly benefited by Federation. The trade with Australia in oats, barley, potatoes, onions, and other produce wouid be greatly increased, whereas a>gh prot9cti*e tariff would stop the trade except ia times of druoght. New Zealand standing alone would be out-weighed by the Commonwealth wben difference of interests arose. H e did not thick our manufactures would j be prejudicially affected by Federation. The coiory would be as well repre-! sentf»d in the Federal Parliament as Queensland and Western Australia. G. Humphreys, mrrshanfc, was decidedly oppo-ed to Federation. He considered that New Zealand and Australia produce was practically the game things. The English market mast always rule prices, prices. Two out of each three years Australia sou'd _do without our potatoes'. G. S, Jakins, produce merchant, doing business for forty years with Australia, thought it would be rninons ftr this colony to stand out of Federation as for as agricultural interests were concerned. With Federation the could double its exporta to Australia. Tasmania alone could produce all the potatoes required in Australia if encouraged ly a protective terriff, ar.d other products also be procured in Australia if neoeasary. Manufaotarers had nothing to fear as New Zealand could doubtless get from Federation the same terms as Western Australia and be allowed to retain its customs duties for five years, reducing thein by 5 per cent, pear year. Jt> •would be better to be part of a large nation than isolatsd small one and this colony had no reason to distrust the oth-r colonies. The Government would have the right to take 25 percent, rf our customs buti wo bad no reason to assume that it would do 30. His examination had not bson concluded when the Commission rose for day. OiiHi.sTcnuucu, February 20. Sir Juhn Bali repeated his avjiuem»nfc that) tba sua w'py New Z :nlar:d shuull net feden'R with Au--tr: ll«.