The Daily Telegraph. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1884.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3934, 28 February 1884, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1884.

When the Conference was sitting , iv Sycl ■acy everything seemed plain sailing to secure the desired end, but now that the Parliament of each of the colonies has to have submitted to it the Bill agreed upon at that Conference the difficulties are'assuming , large dimensions. That there would probably be dissensions among the colonies was early seen by Lord Derby, and that cautious-going Minister has apparently made the most of those probable dissensions. It was rather significant that all reference to a matter on which the colonies wore apparently resolved should be omitted from tho Queen's speech. One thing may be inferred from that omission, and that is, the colonies must work out their own scheme, as they need expect little or no assistance from a Government in ■which Lord Derby occupies so prominent a position. Of course, at this end of the world, we are apt to over-estimate our own importance, and to imagino that questions which with us are burning ones—though •we cannot for a moment say 'that the federation question has yet reached that stage, for in New Zealand, as iv New South Wales, it has excited but little enthusiasm outside of those who were the delegates of the colony—are equally burning at tho other side of the world. Tho little knot of colonists who periodically meet together at stated intervals, as in a mutual admiration society, in London, to discuss prominent colonial political topics, have but a small iufluenco either iv forming or leading political thought at Home, and though their deliberations may be periodically telegraphed to the press of the colonies as of the utmost importance, we should not because of that imagine for a moment that our affairs are exciting great interest among .tho bulk of tho population, of tho old country. To do so is only to deceive ourselves. With the exception of one or two newspapers, which keep well informed on all points of colonial politics—such as the Spectator, for example—the great mass of the Home press neither understand, nor appreciate, nor devote much of their space to a consideration of our wants or desires. The English press of to-day has never yet realised the advautago of these colonies to the mother country. Hence tho reason why wo aro treated with so much indifference, while the pettiest state in Europe receives ten time the attention we do. But to return to our startinir point—federation— it is quite evident that tho result of the Sydney Conference will be nil. Mr Service was early warned by tho Melbourne press that it was his duty to at once .summon Parliament, so that his action at tho Conference could bo endorsed by the reprentatives of the people, and thus in a measure prevent Lord Derby from pursuing it policy of inaction, of which he has always shown himself a master. Of course the privato opinion of Mr Service is that he had authority to speak for Parliament, but to that again there is the rejoinder that, though Parliament was with him in calling a Conference, yet,, when he went into that Conference, he went there prepared to give and to take, and in the end there was so much of compromise that what was accepted and agreed upon was very different indeed from that which he had set before himself when he sot out on his federation errand For reasons best known to herself New South Wales is not yet.prepared to go in for federation, though we fail to see what that colony could lose by such a policy, arid it is not very difficult to know what she would gain, when we remombor she is the nearest approach to a free trade colony of tho groirp, and that her exports consist almost entirely of raw materials, as opposed to manufactured articles. If it is jealousy of her neighbour Victoria as the pi'oposer of federation, it need not be wondered at if outsiders should say we are a long way yet from, being ready for such a scheme. A (Section of. the Sydney press has timo after time said New Zealand lias nothing to gain by associating , herself with the Australian colonies, and it is palpably true that we who are cut off by an ocean from those colonies which are linked together, cannot have the same objects in view when we desire federation. In Australia it is not. difficult to see that tho path of federation is bpsot with difficulties at every step." Wo have but to consider that Queensland's laud policy and labor policy are both entirely distinct from her neighbors; that South Australia has a very stiff tariff, which has for its object tho raising of revenue as opposed to protection ; that Victoria is hemmed, in,by the big colonies by which she is surrounded, and that her policy for the last dozen"years.has been protection, every alteration that has been mado in her tariff during that period having , had protection as its avowed object; while "on the other hand, the tariff of. New South Wales is tho smallest of ;; all. the group, and while.it is but a tariff it is very heavy on those articles on which it imposes duties. Again, we havo but to remember the Ministries the colonies possess, and we see more and more difficulties ahead. For the first time in its history almost Queensland is now governed by the radicals of that colony, but to place the radicals in power an unholy alliance with the squatters, who wero threatened with the fears of a land grant made railway, had to be formed. South Australia has a Ministry in power and '■ kept there because there aro no distinct party lines in that colony at present. Victoria's Ministry is a coalition one, held together by no principle, and ono that the moment the question of free trade and protection wouldbe broached would have to be remodelled!' t ~ The New South Wales Ministry has for the strong point of its policy, a land policy, and a land policy only; the land question brought it into office, and, if that question were once settled —a moderate spoilation of the squatter—it would differ in no particular from the four or five other Ministries that immediately preceded it. Leaving out all other, considerations, than those we have .named, tho difficulty of the position with regard to the question of federation is at once seen. Federation,-real, must proceed on one of the two lines —either by «an agreement of all .ho colonies, including' New Zealand, that here must be a protective polioy. against

all European and American imports, or along the whole seaboard of those colonies free trade pure and simple must be the policy. And therein lies the rock on which we think federation will be shipwrecked. Those who know anything of these colonies, know full well that the statesmen of Now South Wales are too well assured of the prosperity of that colony, at present, under its free trade regime to for one moment dream of protection. And, on the other hand, the mass of the Victorian people are as yet enamoured of protection. Between those two colonies—leaving the others for the time being out of the question—there can be no unity; ; A-landtax which-to bo anything more than a name which would answer for Victoria,, with its large tracts of fertile seaboard land, and its rich volcanic plains; when applied tothe heart; the great bulk of the land of New South Wales, would be ruin to the landowners. Federation may come in the future, and whether New Zealand stand aloof or not, we hope to see a real federation in Australia, but the time is not yet. The timo has not yetcome to realise the Spectator's forecast of our future. Within another half century, if no political convulsion occurs, Australasia will probably have become a Republic with twenty millions of people and fifty millions of revenue. "Such a Republic, inhabited by vigorous and prosperous Englishmen accustomed to freedom and maritime enterprise, will unquestionably, from its geographical position, m vintain a powerful fleet, and will bo able to possess itself, if it pleases, of. the, whole South Pacific. Neither - France nor any, other Power could dream of fighting Australia in those J waters, and -for • any : Power to settle there would be only to court ultimate defeat." : ■ ■• .-" ■ ' ':