FRUITS OF PROTECTION IN VICTORIA.
AN INTELLIGENT AND INDEPENDENT OPINION,
Mr G. L. Denni»ton, Chairman of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, recently paid a visit to the neighboring oolonies, and arrived m Dunedin on hie return from Victoria at tbe. beginning of thia week With a view of ascertaining what impressions Mr Denniaton had formed c.f the condition of Victoria, and of the effects of its Protective policy, a representative of the "Evening Heruld" waited on him this morning, and was received with the utmost courtf-.sy. Mr DennJston kindly consented to atate the views which he had formed, but remarked that, of course, there were many tbinga whloh might not occur to hlB mind m the coarse of a short Interview. In answer to questions, Ma Denniston made the following statement :— "I may state at the outset that I found myself m communication with a good number of the leading commercial men of the three colonies of Victoria, New Sooth Wales and South Australia, and thus had a good opportunity of learning Bomethlng of the condition of the several colonies. That Viotoria is prosperous just now is a foot be yond all questions Not only In Victoria bat m the bister colonies is there the prospect of an abundant harvest, and this with the extraordinary activity of both the gold and silver mines, has Induced a feeling of confidence. The Victorians are also looking forward to their Centennial Exhibition next year, which they are determined to make 5 great success, and which will certainly attraot an immense concourse of visitors from tbe other colonies, and from foreign lai.da To an out sider there seemed something like inflation m the present values of landed property and property of all kinds, bat men who are well informed on the lubject maintain that the present values are justified by circumstances. I am, and always have been a Freetrader, but while I think that Freetrade li a thing that oan be demonstrated like mathematics, I found the conviction forced upon me that, theorise as we may, one of the chief factors m the extraordinary prosperity that Victoria is now eDJoylng, has been her policy of Protection. Jt appears to me that many other factors have been at work — among them, Victoria's central position, with South Australia- and New South Wales on either side, and New Zealand over the way, and tbe superior energy of her people, induced perhaps by her more temperate climate. Viotoria, however, has managed to secure not only her own Internal trade, but much of that of the colonies surrounding her. Her publio debt has always been moderate ; her mines have steadily paid, and thia ha« led to an accumulation of capital that hat served to thoroughly build up her trade. Victoria has suffered less In the way of check than the other colonies, having felt the droughts less severely. Her agriculture also has been of a more varied oharacter, as she has not had to depend so much on sheep-farming as New South Walea, nor so much on wheat-growing as South Australia. M»ny commercial men with whom I conversed on the subjeot of Protec'ion, admitted that it is a selfish policy, and that, while Viotoria has gained by it m the past, the time was fast approaching when she will no longer gain, as her rivals were adopting the aimo tactics. She retains, however, the solid gain that she has already made good her footing and secured a lion's share of the trade of Australasia. It appears to mo that the only object we ought to have In view In tbe future is to seoure a reolproclty of trade throaghout the oolonies, and that to ensure this, it may be necessary that the other colonies follow Victoria's lead, and pay her back m her own coin. I think it is necessary m the present crisis of our affairs that some resolute effort should be made to bring about some commercial treaty of this kind, so that the products of each colony mtty find their natural market without artificial rerestrictions. We are all agreed here that the only remedy for our depression is to increase tbe population, and to settle that population on our lands. Our people will not settle on lands because they find it will not pay. Farming will not pay on account of the low prices obtained for our produoe. These low prices are the result of our failure to find a market outside us, which, agtin, Is simply the result of our natural market! being stopped. This appears to me the most important question of tbe day — this question of settling the land, and a question whjph should be taken m hand by the new Parliament as one of the most important questions that can occupy their attention. There are other matters m which we might take a leaf out of tbe Victorian book. Nothing strikes a stranger so much as the perfectnosi of the Viotorlan railway eystem, and thi*, it Is freely admitted, has been effeoted by the system of management under % paid and responsible Board, In this matter the other colonies are following suit. lam sure New Zealand might aleo lafely copy the example. Referring ng=»ln to the question of Protection, it is doubtless true that tbimjs are somewhat dearer m Victoria than either m New South Wales or m thia colony, but that doeß not seem to matter much, as money is abundant and is freely spent. Building j appears to be going on freely m all the suburbs of Melbourne, and I hardly noticed a single unoccupied house or shop. There is a steady Influx of popula> ' tlon, whereas our people seem to be leaving us week by week. In the very steamer which conveyed me to Melbourne I noticed, with regret, the steerage filled with working men and their families. If the question of the unemployed is a difficulty m Victoria, it does not obtrude itself upon strangers, I noticed, when I was absent, some opinions expressed that New Zealand cannot afford tbe coßt of representation at the forthcoming exhibition at Melbourne, This, of course, is a matter of opinion, but I cot. fees to having felt somewhat humiliated, while at Adelaide Exhibition, to find how conspicuous New Zealand is by its entire absence. While all the other colonies and moßt foreign countries have their courts m this exhibition, not one single exhibit reminds visitors of the existence of oar colony. Unleßs Bteps are taken at once, a similar state of things will exist next year m Melbourne. Surely this policy of Isolation is an unwise one. The expenditure of the necessary Bum would pay \t It merely were the means of advertising ournolveß sufficiently, and exhibiting the beauties of oar scenery, etc., if by so doing we could induce a mere fraction of the expected orowd of sightseers to pay a visit to this colony. " The interview then terminated
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Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1691, 19 October 1887, Page 3
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1,158FRUITS OF PROTECTION IN VICTORIA. Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1691, 19 October 1887, Page 3
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