The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2110, 9 February 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1870.

It is very natural for the inhabitants of Great Britain, crowded together on an island, to look abroad for homes and work where their daily efforts may be better remunerated. Even in good times, there arc always numbers of men in particular occupations who are not fully employed. There are many evident reasons for this. Unskilled labourers are dependent upon circumstances for their daily labour over which they have no control. Contrary winds detaining a fleet of vessels, adverse weather, and numberless other contingencies easily imagined interrupt the regular course of work, and tend to reduce the income of those who arc not in constant employment. In this

respect their position does not differ much from that of colonists, excepting that the rate of wages is so low that a few days of enforced idleness becomes a very serious matter with them. There can be no surprise, therefore, that the value of the Colonies and dependencies is becoming very seriously discussed at Home; and still less, that different views are entertained of them from those expressed by Mr Goi.dwix Smith and Earl Granville. Earl Granville appeal’s to look upon the retention ol the Colonics as a matter of profit and loss. No doubt, under the old mercantile system, they were made to contribute to England s wealth by laws at once oppressive and impolitic. If they had the primary advantage of England’s market for their produce,' they were debarred from any other. No foreign goods could bo obtained in the Colonics, excepting through English merchants, and by way of Great Britain. No foreign vessels were allowed to enter a Colonial port for trading purposes. Monopoly was carried to its ultimatum. It would have charmed the heart of every Protectionist to have looked over the restrictive code. He might perhaps have wondered how it was that, Avith such model regulations, the peojffe did not become richer ; but he Avould have looked abroad and found some Ayay or other to account for it satisfactorily to himself—just as Protectionists do uoav. Earl Granville looks upon the change as so much to the advantage of the Colonies and so little to the benefit of the Mother Country, as to free the latter from all obligation to protect them. He might go further, and truly say that the great change in modern systems of Avarfare renders this almost an impossibility ; but he seems to contrast the condition of the working classes in the Colonics Avith that of those at Horae, and to arrive at the conclusion that Colonial expenses ought not to be paid out of British pockets. Apart from this pecuniary view of the matter, his Lordship Avould not dispute the advantages derivable from Colonial connections. The attention excited by the discussion of the question at Home has been the means of drawing out the opinions of thinkers of various classes, and one avlio has studied the subject has Avritten a Avork recommending a scheme of Federation, in Avhich Great Britain shall hold the central position, and the Colonies, including Ireland, shall gather round and share dominion Avith her. We have not much hope that such an arrangement avIII overtake place, nor any belief that any considerable advantage Avould result from it. The scheme looks Avell on paper, but Ave cannot see Avhat is to be gained by creating a number of Colonial peers, dukes, earls, and barons, or even a Colonial Parliament Avhcre there is no community of interest. The titles themselves Avith us, instead of conveying the original idea they Avere meant to express, are nearly meaningless. In the Colonies it Avould be simply absurd to find Lord Lopstick in a blue shirt and fustian trousers Aviping the SAveat off his brow, Avhile he rested on his axe Avith Avhich he was engaged clearing his land, to conA-erso Avith Baron Bumptious, avlio had just killed a coA\ r , and Avanted his Lordship to help him off Avith a little of the extra beef. As the pioneer of a discussion that may tend to spread abroad sounder ideas of Colonies and Colonisation than appear to prevail at Home, the Avork may prove useful. We arc not certain that a little rational investigation of the subject is not needed in the Colonies as Avell. There is always danger in meddling rashly Avith existing systems, for, after all, the administration of Hays and regulations not in themselves wrong, is of far more consequence than the laws themselves. The best laws badly or unwisely administered may be made oppressive, and the clumsiest by wise application of them may be made endurable. If the value of the Colonies is beginning to be acknoAvledgcd in Great Britain as a means of providing homes for her surplus population, the A'aluc of that population should be equally appreciated by the Colonies, and every hindrance removed that Avould tend to prevent their prospering. The late discussion on the land question in the Provincial Council has thrown some light on the crude ideas that stand in the Avay of Colonisation and settlement, and slioavs that careful investigation is necessary to the preparation of the Colony for prosecuting them Avith success.