The Evening Star MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1873.

Evening Star, Issue 3125, 24 February 1873, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1873.

What will result Horn the Intercolonial Conference ? At present it seems impossible to say. Some of the questions discussed were of importance mainly to Melbourne and Sydney ; some to Queensland ; one or two to New Zealand specially; and the remainder to the common interests of the Australasian group. The primary object of the Conference was to settle postal arrangements, which, so far as wo can gather from the telegram received on Saturday, appear to be almost as undecided as before. The chief difficulty about the Galle or Suez line lay between Victoria and Now South Wales, ; as was anticipated. The Victorian delegates claimed to make Melbourne the terminus; the Now South Wales representatives advocated Sydney. It is evident that party spirit has run very high on the matter; and, rightly or wrongly, Melbourne has had the best of it. This might naturally have been expected. To Western Australia and South Australia, the question was ope of indifference: to Tasmania and New Zealand, Melbourne is the most advantageous point for ihe transmission of mails and passengers; while to Queensland, so far as the Suez route is concerned, Sydney is the most desirable terminus, as only one transhipment would be necessary instead of two. By the P. and 0. Company no doubt the preference would have beep, given to Sydney, but they do ,not appear to liavc been communicated with as to tonus—at least, we gather so much from the result of the discussion. The only Colony at present interested in a Torres Strait route is Queensland, and we do not think it probable that they will secure that advantage until population and developed wealth justify the expense. The Victorian delegates do nut apjicar to attach much value to the Californian line. In this wc think they have evinced a degree of short-sightedness creditable to them as statesmen, and this, coupled with the jealousy between New South "Wales and Victoria, which has been fostered and kept *&•<* by the border duty question, has thrown N.ew Zealand into more intimate negotiations with the older Colony —wo trust to the advantage of both. With the border duty affair Now Zealand is happily not,concerned. It has the advantage of being bounded by the ocean, Jt is, however, a most important matter to be settled amongst a group of Colonies, peopled by the same races, of (be same habits of life, requiring supplies of similar goods, and living in districts supplied indifferently, by merchant* of one or another Colony. Although at present the chief difficulty has been felt by Victoria and New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia must ultimately clash on theiv borders, and it thus becomes of vital importance to the harmony of that .con Uncut that so fertile a source of jealousy as encroachment, real or fancied, upon each other’? revenue should be avoided. The proposal to establish a Customs Union for revenue, not for protective! Ttorpolies, say tend to help the settlement of the cpmsHo#. The pounder

plan of abolition of Customs duties, and the collection of revenue l.ry a more equitable process, is too far hi advance tor the present race of statesmen to entertain, and may become the system of halt a century or a century hence. Amongst the trenoral topics discussed was the annation of Fiji to (ho British Crown. Whether this would prove an adiantage or not. is not quite clear. British capital has been largely invested, and British emigrants have settled there; there is equally little doubt that they have adopted social institutions tending to render their position insecure. The mam object they have in view, therefore, is to have the support of the British (roverument in their occupancy; but whether, under the altered system of dealing with Colonies, that would prove an advantage or not is doubtful. The experience ot New Zealand shows that British troops will not be empkyed to _ compel Natives to submit to Colonial rule, and the only benefit would be that the colonists would be shielded against foreign interference and allowed to tax themselves and fight tlieir on n battles —just as they must do now. Then as to annexation —that moans reducing the kingdom of Fiji to a dependency and the monarch to a vassal, if it does not altogether snuff him out by placing a Governor over bis head. How far would the native race stomach such an assumption? Without their full concurrence, through their chiefs, such a step has the appearance of paving the way to civil broils that would prove far more disastrous to the security of the settlers than the present state of affairs. It seems strange that the Hawaiian group can get on so comfortably with only their independence guaranteed, while no sooner do a number of British colonists settle in a country tlian tlxey immediately begin to cry out to be placed under British rule. Whatever steps are taken, it is not likely the British Government can act so inconsistently with its laic pract ice as to interfere directly with Fijian institutions. The grievance seems to be that at present Ihoyolomsls being in a minority are the subjects, not the masters, of a dark-skinned monarch. They make poor use of their knowledge and civilisation if they cannot mould him and his Government to their wishes. Whatever advantages might formerly have been calculated upon through annexation, such a policy is doubtful now. All that is likely to be gained may be equally arrived at by a guarantee of independence. The general measures suggested are so manifestly for the common good that we should think they will bo gladly adopted.