NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 178, 26 January 1912, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA

(NEW ZEALANDER INTERVIEWS MR. FISHER. • j By Cable—Press Association—Copyright j Received 25, 8.55 p.m. j Melbourne, January 25. j In the course of an interview with Mr. Hoben, of the Palmerston Times, Mr. Fisher elaborated his ideas in regard to closer relations with New Zealand. For many years he had held the view that everything should be dope to forward this. His party was fully with him in the matter, as was shown at the Hobart Labor Conference, where his motion in favor of closer political, industrial and commercial relations with New Zealand Was seconded by the Hon. McGowen (Premier of the senior State) and carried unanimously. (He,said the New Zealand Government should be approached to see what were the best steps to take to carry it into effect. He regretted that New Zealand was not coming into the Commonwealth, but whatever difficulties there might be against federation should be completed by co-operation. In the matter of defence, he hoped, a few yejirs hence New Zealand would see its way to assist in making the Australian navy an Australasian navy by building vessels of their own. Apart from this he considered there should be very full reciprocity between the Dominion and the Commonwealth, amounting even to free trade. They must mutually gain in strength and wealth if productions were freely interchanged.