THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 1901.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 100, 24 January 1901, Page 2

THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 1901.

SoONJfee question will be practically before us, « Is New Zealand to federate with New Zealand or not ?" We most shortly, make i

up our minds one way or tin other, for the time will expire before many months within which we may join as an original State, that is, on the same terms as all the other federating colonies. Just now, of course Federation is everywhere in the air, " boomed " by the Commonwealth celebrations in Sydney. But we must lay aside all tendency to be carried away by the noise and glitter, and look into this matter purely from the business point of view. We purpose, then, to give our readers some account of what is proposed, and to consider, as shortly as we can, the reasons for ! and against our joining the Commonwealth. Each colony under Federation retains its local Legislator, but there is to be a central governing body called the Federal Parliament, consisting of two Houses—viz., a Senate and a House of Representatives.' Each colony in the Federation sends to the Senate six Senators. The House of Representatives consists of members returned on a one-man-one-rote batris by the various colonies, the members being in proportion to the population. If N'ew Zealand joined she would /'send six senators out of fortytwo, and about fifteen out of 91 members of the House of Representatives. The Federil Parliament has the right to take wholly into its own hands a large number of very important mat--1 ters: they are totalled under

thirty-seven heads in the Bill. On these matters the Federal Parliament is supreme, and the various colonial Legislatures can do nothing whatever inconsistent with what the central body chooses to do in respect thereto. As to some of these matters there can be no v.ery great objection to joint Federal New Zealand —on an equitable financial basis. For instance : (1) Borrowing money on the public credit of the Commonwealth, (2) munitions of war, (3) astronomical and meteorological observations, (4) census and statistics, (5) copyrights and patents of inventions, designs and trade marks, (6) service and execution throughout the Commonwealth -of the civil and criminal process and judgments of the courts of the State, (7) influx of criminate, (8) military and naval defence of the Commonwealth, (9) control of the railways with respect to transport for military purposes, and one or two other provisions of a like general character. Bui there are certain other matters about which very considerable doubt must arise when we ask whether New Zealand is prepared to hand over their control, as far as she is concerned, to the new Federal Legislature. For instance, if New Zealand joins she must be prepared to surrender her self-governing powers in respect to the following very important matters :—(1) Regulation of trade and commerce with othe; countries and among the several States. (Thus we could levy no Customs duties or make any reciprocal trade treaties.) (2) Customs and excise and bounties. (Freetrade must exist between all the colonies in the Federation, and exactly the same rate of duty on all outside exports is to be collected in each State.) (8) The Parliament may raise money by any mode or system of taxation that it pleases—presumably in addition to Customs; (4) postal, telegraphic, telephonic, and other like services; (5) navigation of shipping; (6) currency, coinage, and legal tender; (7) banking, the incorporation of banks, and the issue of paper money; (8) naturalisation and aliens; (9) marriage and divorce; (10) parental rights and the custody and guardianship of infants; (11) immigration and emigration. Now, this is a very serious list, and it only contains the most important of the thirty-seven heads already mentioned. Immediately it exists the Federal Parliament is to assume control of the Customs, postal and telegraph matters, military and naval defence, ocean beacons, buoys, lighthouses, and quarantine. All the other matters it takes up when it sees fit,' What, then, it may be asked, is left to the State Legislatures ? Well, not too

.nuch. Strictly local public works, apparently, we woull still be permitted to attend to. Education seems to be left, and th« matter of land settlement and laws seem to be omitted from the thirty-seven list. Forestry laws and mining legislation we could still pass. We propose in another issue to discuss the question of what New Zealand has to gain or lose by joining the Commonwealth on the basis we have above explained.