INTERCOLONIAL COMMERCIAL RECIPROCITY.

Evening Star, Issue 3136, 8 March 1873, Page 2

INTERCOLONIAL COMMERCIAL RECIPROCITY.

The following is the despatch prepared for transmission to the Secretary of State for the Colonies in favor of conferring on the Colonies the power to enter into treaties with each other The representatives of the Colonies of v ew South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia, assembled in Conference in Si'dney, have carefully considered the lengthened correspondence which has taken place between the Secretary of State and their several Governments upon the subject of iutercolonial commercial reciprocity. They have given respectful attention to the arguments used by the Secretary of ■=>tate in opposition to the views taken by the Colonies. The Conference consider it their duty respectfully to urge upon the Imperial Government to remove the restrictions which stand in the way of two or more Colonies of the Australasian group entering into arrangements for the reciprocal admission of articles, the growth, produce, or manufacture of any part of Australia or New Zealand, upon terms to which they may mutually agree. The Secretary of State expresses the opinion that the Colonies, in making the request for powers to enter into reciprocal tariff ar angements, are actuated by leanings in favor of a protective policy. The Conference desires to assure his Lordship that the decision they have arrived at is not based upon any considerations in favor of protection The fact that the concession asked for by the Colonies has been supported by public men holding widely different opinions on the subjects of free trade and protection, should he, it is submitted, a sufficient proof that the Colonics are not seeking to insidiously promote protection in the requests they are making. The tendency of the exercise of the powers which the Colonies now seek will be rather antagonistic to protection than otherwise, inasmuch as it may lead to the modification of hostile and retaliatory tariffs.

The Conference loyally and earnestly assure the Secretary of State that they are actuat d by the desire to strengthen the tics which so happily unite the Colonhs to the mother country. They cannot believe that the people of the United Kingdom will consider that their fellow-subjects in Australasia are doing more, in urging their present requests, than endeavoring to fulfil the duties devolving up in them, of colonizing in the most effective manner countries in whmb the whole of her Majesty’s subjects have a com* mon and national interest.

The Australasian Colonies only ask for powers which have been and are still ex'ercised by the British American provinces for a long series of years. Seeing that the Constitution Act of New Zealand does not debar that Colony from exercising the powers sought, it would almost appear that accider', rather than design, has been the cause of that clause in the C nstitution Acts of the other Colonies which denies to them the discretion to which they deem they have rigflt. ’ 1 " ‘ l The Secretary of State admits that the powers sought ar6 not inconsistent with treaty obligations of Great Britain. Indeed, such a deduction is’ inevitable, because, otherwise, seeing that the same powers have been exercised by the British-A merr a ' Provinces, the conclusion would be that Great Britain had permitted her dependencies to violate her treaties.

The great distance' which separates the Australasian Colonics from the mother country would prevent, any arranatmerds they might enter into from affecting (he trade of the United Kingdom to a ti y appreciable extent. Reciprocity amobgat the Australasian Connies clearly could not prejudice the commercial interests of the mother country so much as reciprocity amongst the British-American Provinces.

Two of the governors of these'Colonies—the Earl of Belmore and Governor Du Canehave personally, on their own independent authority, as representatives of her Majesty, declared themselves favorable to granting the requests of the Colonies. It is submitfced that th') advice of experienced Imperial officers is eptjtled to the consider! ation of her Majesty’s Government, csjteeially when it independently confirms the respect, fill requests of the colonists themselves. As the Secretary of State has expressed an opinion favorable to a Customs Union of the Australasian Colonies, it is submitted, that the power to enter into reciprocal tariff arrangements is eminently calculated to promote that object. For these reasons, and for others .to which it is unnecessary to refer, the Conference urge the Secretary of State, witpout delay, to in'reduce thp necessary sure into the Imperial Parliament, to enable any two or more of the Australasian Colonics to enter into reciprocal tariff arrangements, upon terms to which they may mutually agree.