(From New Sealand Herald's Own. ttanfespiVndent). LONDON, January 12. , NEW ZEALAND AND FEDERATION A writer in one of the London daily papers commenting on New Zealand's abstention from participation in the Federation of Australia', holds this course to be justified by the circum stances, and adds: "As an independent State New Zealand has, more than held its own. Its orators are fond of claim ing that it has set the world an ex ample in progressive legislation. It has done -wbat* at 2i«« clozi^ try roaint««nixig- j its position of self-reliance, subject, of course, to the always valued connection with the throne. Its leading men — Sir George Grey, Sir Robert Stait (sic), Bal lance, Seddon, and W. P. Reeves— have done » work which no' other colony has attempted, and which perhaps no other five politicians in any part of the Em pire <haye succeeded in carrying out. The legislation of the colony has been more daring, its people more progres sive, its energies better directed, and its revenues infinitely moro flourishing than has been tho' case during recent years with any other colony under the Crown. This is partly the result of natural ad vantages of soil and climate, which, in their turn, react on character, and give the New Zealander more energy, hardi hood, and self-reliance than would, other thingd beiug equal, be expected from the Australasian. Bnt it is also iield to be the remit of complete and absolute self-government. If «ew Zea land were governed from Sydney or Melbourne, if the cream of its political intelligence were transferred to a capi tal 1200 miles away, if the Bnllances and Seddons were working on Aus tralian soil and outvoted by Australian provincial interests, then there would be a "serious and irreparable loss to New Zealand."

Received February 15, at 9.21 a.m. LONDON^ February 14. The Right Hon. Lord Cuwon has created 'afhew 'frontier province, 'formed out of four trans-Indus 'districts of the Pnnjaub, with a tribal' country beyond.
