THE FEDERATION QUESTION
SIR WILLIAM RUSSELL INTERVIEWED. ASTONISHED AT MR FISHER'S ; ;■ STATEMENT. . (By Telegraph—Frets Association;) HASTINGS, Last Night, Sir William Russeii, w!ho was on© of the representatives of New • Zealand at the Australian Federation Conference at Melbourne in 1890, also the National Australian Convention at iSydney in 1891, and one of the Royal Commission in, 1901 whicih reported exhaustively against the expediency of New Zealand entering the Australiaa.n Commonwealth, was interviewed by the "Hawke's Bay Tribune" to-day regarding Mir A. i FSsJier's sitatemenit at Hiobart that j the Dominion, was undoubtedly in fa- j vour of Federation. ,
(Sir William Russell saiid:—"l am j astonished at rthie statement, and j ©annot agree with Mr Fisher's re- j ! ma,rks. I returned to the Dominion on?y three weeks ago, so I cannot presume to state what the people of 'New Zealand are saying on the subject at the .present moment. Certainly no one I talked to in Auckland j or Hawkie'is Bay has led me to sup-1 pose that a change of) opinion has taken place in the Dominion* since I went to England. As a matter of fact I, believe the consensus of rpinion would be more Strongly 'against joining the Federation to it 'wo* formerly. . Owing to the apparent, tendency ,otf a large Section of the Australians to desire a unification of ■'Australia, instead of, til© federation of till® conference at Melbourne, I moved as on addition to the .resolution affirming the .desirableness of the federation of the Australian colonies, i "that to the union of Australian col<onies the remoter Australasian colonies shall be entitled, to iadmission (at ! sudh times and on ,sudh conditions jas may iliereafter be agreed •upon. - j This was iseconded by Sir John Hall, and carried. • The object was to allow iaivv coitoniy hereafter to join tlie I 1 eel 1 — eration if circumstances should have ' iso changed as to make it desirable I I cannot recall! any expression oi public opinion, either in Padra- ' ment, or out, which bias been in (Savior '(of New Zealand joining the Federation. To keep the door open so- that it njlighit be possible hereafter, undent changed conditions, is the utmost that has been desii<ed. The possible danger iof a hostile attack might lead »ine, at fmist sight, to think that a scheme of Federal defence must be desirable. In my opinion it m more apparent than real. Australia has determined' to have her own fleet, which for -many years can be strong enongih only for 'her own (fecal defence', (so can be of no use to New Zealand, which has -much more wisely decided to contribute to the imperial Navv. But in any case there exists a ve'rv wide difference of opinion- and oolicy on most important questions. Even, supposing a .sciieme lof 'Federal defence, so long as Britain remains supreme on the sea, the [Dominion is -safe from anything worse than a remotely possiMo fiMmsteiuig attack, which, consequent on our uiviVersal sea-vice scheme, could do only tiiflmijg an jury. If Britain should lose coin inland of the sea, Austia.ia cfould not send' troops to our aid across 1200 amies of ocean, nor could she spare them from* her on wide and sparsely populated com try."
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Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10530, 17 January 1912, Page 5
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536THE FEDERATION QUESTION Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10530, 17 January 1912, Page 5
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