PARLIAMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 2973, 4 August 1891, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

♦ HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The following business was transacted on Friday night after the telograph office closed :— Sir Goorge Grey supported the Counties Act Amendment Bill. Mr Rollestou thought the incasuro was on the whole a very pour one, and lie fait that Ministers were acting against their convictions in introducing theoneman-oue-vote clause, which was simply meant to catch the gallery. In reply, Mr Oadman said plural voting at present exercised an injurious influence in many cases, and thero was a demand for legislation on account of the harm it caused. If the second reading of the Bill were agreed to, he should placo himself in the bands of the Committee as t<. what course they would take with respect to the oreman one-vote clause. The motion for the second reading was agreed to on the voicos. Tho Houso rose at 1.20 a.m. MONDAY. The Houso met at 7.30 p.m. Sir George Grey moved the following resolution with reference to federation :—l. That a form of federation should be adopted which will enable the adjacent British colonies to federate for their common welfare.such federation to bo validated if necessary by an Act of the British Parliament; 2. That a system of federation also be adopted to enable all parts of the British Empire to join in a common federation while it retains its own autonomy; 3. That treaties should be concluded betwuen all English speaking nations for defensive alliances, aud for relegating all differences ou mat tors of common interest to a general conference composed of dolgutes from each of tho contracting parties wb'> shall each agree to take within its own jurisdiction all measures necessary to give effect to the decisions of the general conference. After dwelling on the greater question of federation of all the English speaking races ho said he might be asked what Now Zealand could do to further a movement of this kind. Ho thought u commencement might be made in the direction of federation with Australia but he wus really in doubt whether (he colony could join with the other colo.

nies in- not. A groat many advantages would no doubt result if such federation tmiU place and l-'ico Trade between New '/.■• aland and Australia would give an itntr I'll-"' fl!ln|> I" the trade of tlio colony. \ew Zealand for its own sake must lino something to say as to the occupation of tlirr inlands in the Pacific Ocean, and Australia would also have a similar right and he believed that if the tun wore uniti'd they could determine. on such a future for these islands that would greatly add to tho happiness of th<\f>'W poor islaurbis that remained.and they would also securo tho products from islands of great value. If this colony were united to Australia, ho believed the Hug- i gestions they made to England would scciiio more consideration than if these

suggestions were made alouo. ft was K;iid hv «i'in(! that in the event cif federation. New Zealand would ho over-weighted, but h.» could not. see exactly how that could be. He absolutely denied that he was in favour of breaking off from ftru.it Britain, and ho solemnly declared that he had only heard l two petsons—one in New Zealand and one in Australia—who had expressed themselves to this effect. Taking everything into consideration, he, thought federation with Australia would be to the advantage of this colony, and lie thought they should all try to bring it about, as he felt sure that it would be for their lutiirc good. Capt. Russell, speaking as a delegate t(. the Australian Conference, 6aid the New Zealand Parliament had made a great mistake in sending only three representatives to the Convention, as mo.:t of the other colonies had seven, and although the j\"ew Zealand delegates weie treated with much attention and courtesy in Australia, they were frequently asked, jocularly, why >huy had come to Anstrdia at all, seeing that tint New Zealand Parliament had adopted such a hostile attitude towards federation. He should like the House to realiso that the federation proposed was no'- a union, but it was an alliance of the various English-speaking races of Polynesia and that was a matter of serious importance to them. He said a general tariff had not yet been settled, but he ventuied to assert that within two or three years of federation taking place a universal tariff would be framed. He fancied the Federal Government would never consent to the Victorian tariff being adopted. His opinion was that the Bill was so framed that nothing in it would prevent any colony from joining in the federation without forfeiting its autonomy. Most of tho rights and privileges they now enjoyed would be taken away inder the Bill. Referring to Sir George utrey's effort to get " one-man-one-vote " idnpted by the Federal Constitution, he minted out that several of the delegates who werem favour of that system of voting felt that it would be a mistake to interfere with tho State in the mnnnar in which it should conduct its elections, as that should be left to the colonies themselves. He hold that federation was not a question of to-day, but when it was again discussed, New Zealand should take part in the deliberations, and he was convinced that one day federation of some kind would eventuate, which, while not depriving the colonies of their automnny, would result in great good to all Polynesian races. Mr Ballanco failed to see what good another conference would do. He was glad to see that Sir George Grey had advocated the federation of tho whole of the English-speaking races; it was a proposal to which most of them would agree. He rombatted the statement that any colony joining the Federation would be able to maintain its autonomy, and asserted that the Federal Council would retain very large powers, and the colony w.iuld be reduced to the rank of a mere ordinary municipality. He contended that tho exclusion of the Privy Council from the Federal Constitution was an indication that the Federal Union wanted to break off from the Empire, and ho considered that he had more faith in the Pi ivy Council than those who wished to exclude it from the proposed federation. They were told that the cost to the colony would be only 4s per head. People who desired to effect a change in the constitution should nut estimate the cost and lie urged that before New Zealand consented to join such a union the exact position should be known. He maintained that looking at the whole question from a commercial or political aspect, or from the great fact that the people of the country always became discontented when they have nurrendered their rights, the whole weight of argument was against New Zealand J lining any other Federation than Imperial Federation with tho .Mother Country. There were in fact as many reasons against New Zealand joining the Australian Federation as there were miles between New Zealand and Australia. On resuming after the supper adjournment, the House was counted out there beinfc no quorum present.