The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1890. FEDERATION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2097, 11 September 1890, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1890. FEDERATION.

We have lost the run of politics altogether owing to the great labor agitation. All we know is that members have evidently been amusing themselves, no doubt with the view of recruiting their energies after the hard work of the session. For the past few days they have been discussing that senseless dream Federation, and indulging in some senilities over it. Last year a conference of delegates was held in Melbourne to. arrange a basis on which to federate all the Australian colonies under one government, and New Zealand was reprsented at it by Captain Bussell and Sir John Hall. We did not object to this. New Zealand was then holding its Jubilee Exhibition; the other colonies bad lent her generous assistance, and it was only proper that we should, acknowledge this by sending representatives to the conference. The conclusion arrived at then—arid it is a conclusion that has been universally endorsed by all shades of opinion—was that New Zealand should not join in the Federal movement at that time. In the face of that, however, and with the full knowledge that the country is opposed to Federation, the Government have proposed to send seven delegates to a conference which is to be held again,there before long. Now, if these seven delegates would travel as extravagantly as Ministers of the Crown usually do, each of them would 1 cost the country £loo—that is, £7OO in ajl. And to what end is this money to be spent P Merely that seven gentlemen should go to Australia to tell the Australians that we wish them well; that we shall be very glad to see them making a great success of Federation, but that we cannot see’ our way to join them at the present time. Now one respectable member of Parliament could deliver that message as well as the seven; or a polite letter from the Premier would do just as well. New Zealand has not the slightest intention of joining the Federation movement, and we are glad to find that she ; has sense enough to see the folly of it. So far as we are concerned we have never favored this Federation craze. We want New Zealand for New Zealanders, and we are opposed to handing over to any power other than our own Parliament the making of our laws. We have seen something of Federation during the past few weeks, and our experience, has not been such as would tempt us to extend that principle. Our Trades Unions are federated with the Trades Unions of Australia, and so is our only Shipping Company federated with the Australian Shipping Companies, and the result is not at all pleasant. The Union Company and their employes were getting on splendidly together. It was only a few weeks before that the Maritime Council settled the disputes between the Company and the officers. The strike fever broke out in Australia, and owing to this federation we caught it as we did la grippe. The Union Company could not help it they say. The ship Owners of Australia told the Union Company that unless they assisted to,crush Unions a fleet of Australian vessels would be sent over to compete with them for the New Zealand trade. The Union Steam Ship Company so as to preserve its monopoly of the New Zealand trade decided to help the shipowners by employing free labor, and this was the cause of the strike. All this we have got from federation, and if we were to federate politically worse results might accrue, Who could have foreseen the presentposition of affairs two or three years ago, and who can tell what questions may crop «p in the near future ? No one, arid consequently we think that we should be very mad in this colony if we put the federation rope around our necks after the foretaste we have had of it in the present labor struggle. We shall always have enough to fight over amongst ourselves without entering I into, the quarrels of other , countries. If we federate with the Australian colonies, their quarrels and treubles would mix up with ours and would not be conducive to eur happiness. We are now free, let ns remain so. COMMON SENSE. Foe once Parliament did a sensible thing, at the instigation ofJMrßallance, last Monday evening. The Post and Telegraph Classification Bill was under discussion, and on the motion of Mr Ballance the Superintendent’s salary was reduced from £BOO to £7OO, and the Secretary’s salary from £750 to £650. This is sensible, wise and just. What ought to be done to the civil service is to begin at both ends of it; reduce the high salaries and raise the low salaries. Any man who gets £SOO a year as a civil servant is very well off.