The Waikato Times And THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2899, 12 February 1891, Page 2

The Waikato Times And THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

iiuuai .-iM.I .-x.-ict to .-ill in,-,,, 1)1 v.-ii ■:...i-.cr>'..itcor [■.■! su:is!un. rul:;;:nus nr iiiunsDAY. /v;/;. i>.. ism. I 'ui.uM \l. Federation V.ionld be. to iim> the S'.nii'wliat hackneycfl phrase, v.ithin the rant,'- of prai.-lieal poli tics. It his been >:o long uiid.Mthat the d.-Ir-ales from the difl'creut colonies will i t tolerably well informed as to tin. , various schemes which have heiMi i

propounded. 'I'licir weak spnls have liP(-u most dpligently searched for and laid hare. It is to be sincerely hoped 'hat Sir Ceorge Grey will be able to attend on behalf of this colony. Of all the men in Australasia, he is the one from whom the most, statesmanlike view of the position may 1.0 expend. Removed from the pettiness and half-vailed dishonesty of party poli tics, hn has on all occasions proved himself equal to the occasion. | We notice that the Tnsmanian Attoniey-Coneral has prepared a scheme,'based on the American constitution, in fact tho outline, sketched by the cablegram implies that it is au exact copy, with the exception that the G-overnor-i'terieral , w i ln wi" n ''' l " tivoly hold tli9 position of J'resident, is lo be appointed bv the Uueert iu place of elected- Lnder the American constitution each state legislature appoints two members of til** Semite regardless of its aize, wealth or population. The members of tho Lower House are elected by popular vote, eaeh_Btatc being ropresouted in proportion to its population. Each has its own Governor and Parliament with power to make laws and levy taxes for purposes within its own boundary. The supreme legislative taxes for general purposes and has sole control of tho Customs Department etc. Tho conseriueuco is that no such absurdity exists as the levying o£ Customs duties at tho ports _ or borderlines of the different divisions of tho one nation, acknowledging tho same head, and for uattonal purposes governed by the samo laws.

It appoars to us that the first question which the convention will have to consider will bo as to tho practicability of gniuin", tho consont of each of the colonies, to be embraced in the Federation to absolute free trade between the whole. Unless this is conceded from all to all it would bo useless to proceed to tho discussion of details, the pivot \ipon which all those must work being absent. It is surely not too much tohopo that this consent will be obtained. In tho first place beI'fiuse the duties levied by any colony on her sisters is not of sullicieut magnitude to be of imperative monetary importance. Id tho second cho "aspiration to become as forming part of a powerful federation; should be inducement sullLciont to forego any small advantage that may now accrue from existing fiscal politics. To us it appears capable of demonstration that intor-eolonial free trade could not fail to prove advantagi'ons to tho whole grjup. It might interfere to some extent with artificial production, we

jut/an buch as requires protection from the exports of other colonics, but. the uUiuiate result would be that each would produce that for which its climate and other natural features best lit it. With the result

that all the populations would be supplied at- tho lowest rate couipiu Iblo with prices procurable without tin; boundaries of the federated 'lolonicK. The establishment of free trade would necessitate thai, Customs Duties on foreign productions should be uniform ; the proposal therefore, to vest the Federal Parliament with

control of the Customs, must, if

necessity be given force to. The scheme of the Tiisiiiarfun Attornoy-Gt.-neral combines all the necessary

L-leinents of success, and the expeii

mice of Ihe United (States in the .■;amo direction, relieves those who will 1)0 responsible, for re-

suits from tho fear that they are

groping in the dark for the key to die door which shall lead from comparative insignificance to becoming part of a powerful federation capable of making its voice heard and its just demands acceded to. There is another view of the sub-

ject which it may seem premature to consider, viz., the bringing about of a much grander federation of the whole of the possessions of Britain. Then.' is a strong feelin" "rowing up in this direction in°tlic Old Country. The papers by the last mail brought us an account of a very large meeting which was held at the East End of London,

composed mainly of those who earn their living by constant toil. The fnllowins resolution was unanimously adopted. It is rather long, but the men who passed it were of necessity not skilled in conveying their meaning in a few words. Its ctl'ect was that they expressed great satisfaction that the great principle of federation is making such progress at Huuiu and in the Colonies. Tla: meeting urged upon tin! Government to seriously grupplt: with ilio subject and .summon id iho I'LLi'liest possible date a (Jongrusti uf colonial didegutos, to couJiJiT with ropn::<ntativi'rt of the Home Government tin;. Imms for a schenitt ol' linpeiiil Federation in the interests oi* tU;; (..'■Monies, the Mother Country and the Kmpire at • ai-"(;. flnd we Ix'-en present w« would have held up one more- hand when tlio resolution was put.