The Daily Telegraph TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3002, 8 February 1881, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1881.

Since the Governor of this Colony has been appointed High Commissioner for the Western Pacific tbe question has arisen concerning the advisability of establishing a fortnightly steam mail communication between Auckland and the Fiji Inlands. The proposal was submitted to His Excellency Sir Arthur Gordon, soon after his arrival in New Zealand, and, it was reported, he favored the project on the ground that it would place bins in more frequent communication with the Assistant Commissioner the Governor of Fiji. Mr Dcs Vceux, the Governor of Fiji, regarded the proposition from a favorable point of view, but as the negotiations rested upon the question of subsidy he was not prepared to take any decisive steps with regard to the matter until be had thoroughly informed himself as to tbe financial position of the colony over winch he ruled. Mr Lodder, the manager of the Auckland Steam Ship Company, visited Fiji for the purpose of ascertaining whether prospects were favorable for the establishment of a fortnightly service, but up to the present the project has not exactly assumed a definite shape. A subsidy of £100 per month U required from the Government of Fiji, and another subsidy of an amount to be mutually agreed upon will be demanded from New Zealand. With the details of the arrangement, however, we need not trouble ourselves. What concerns us more is the opinion entertained in Fiji of the advisability of strengthening the connection between the two colonies. From the Fiji Times' leading columns it would appear that the general impression is that the mere establishment of a fortnightly or monthly service simply connecting Fiji with Auckland would not confer such benefitsas would justify th? granting of the subsidy demanded. It has been demonstrated, so our Fijian contemporary asserts, that the capacity of the Auckland market is altogether insufficient for the absorption of the commerce which by such means would flow into it from Fiji. One shipment supplies the demand, and the second gluts the markets. A still more important point for the consideration of New Zealand is that which is next touched upou, namely, the value to the two colonies of the reciprocal trade arising from closer commercial ties. It is shown until modifications in the New Zealand tariff place this colony in a position to compete on favorable terms with Sydney mercantile firms we must be shut out from everything but the most inconsiderable participation in the commerce of Fiji. The financial exigencies of New Zealand have necessitated the imposition of a very high Customs* tariff, and it follows that our shores do not offer such favorable markets for foreign produce as the comparatively free ports of New South Wales. In this one particular of commercial relations with the Pacific Islands we have it roughly brought home to us that, with even our existing tariff, this colony stands at a disadvantage in comparison with a country tbat offers no Customs' restrictions to commerce. New Zealand merchants find it impossible to compete with those of Sydney, and therefore, that city being the best market, because the buyers there have not to consider import duties in the prices they pay producers and charge consumers, tbe trade of the Pacific can scarcely be diverted to this colony. We mu3t, it appears, be contented with an " inconsiderable participation in the commerce of Fiji" only, and leave to our more iiberai neighbor tbe rich harvest to be one day gathered from the wealthy islands lying within a week's sail of these shores.