RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1280, 22 March 1872, Page 2

RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE.

Tnelson examiner.]

In the centre of the southern end of the Australian Continent, lying within the 143rd and 147th parallels of longitude, bounded towards the north by the Muitu rabid gee and towards the south by the Murray, is a large Iract of valiir able country known as. bttverina,, whichpolitically forms part of the colony of New South "Wales, but commercially is dependent on Victoria. The fact of its being on the western watershed, and distant 400 miles from Sydney with indifferent roads, while it is. only 20Q, miles from Melbourne with a railroad, almost to its boundary,, shows to which, of the two colonies it must be most nearly related. The trade of Riverina, is considerable. For the year 1869, its imports and export* together amounted, to £3,037,225, and now probably reach £4,00.0,000. At the same date,, it possessed 3,386,730. sheep, 128,000 horned cattle, 23,000 horses, and B,ooo*

P x s s ' . . , The fiscal laws of the two principal Australian colonies differ very greatly. New South Wales favors free trade,, Victoria protection. The duties imposed on imports by the parent colony are for purposes of revenue ; the tariff of Victoria was framed to check the. import of articles which could be raised or manufactured at home. Riverina, compelled from its geographical position to draw its chief supplies from Melbourne, made it necessary for the Government of New South Wals to establish a line of Custom-houses on the Murray to collect its revenue. The oractioal inconvenience of this was so great, that a few years ago the Government of Victoria agreed to pay New South Wales a stipulated sum in lieu of the duties it collected —we believe ,£60,000 and save the people of fUverma the vexatious imposts levied upon every dray-load of goods which crossed the Murray. Latterly, however, the Government of New South Wales became dissatisfied with this arrangement. It thought the payment insufficient, and demanded .£IOO,OOO a year of Victoria. This, the latter colony refused, but offered to join in ascertaining what the duties of goods consumed in Riverina really amounted to under the New South Wales tariff, and pay that sum whatever it might amount to. The offer of Victoria was so fair, that it received general approval in New South Wales ; but the Government, in an arbitrary manner, insisted on compliance with its demand. This Victoria declined, and the consequence was, that at the commencement of the present year Custom-houses were set up on the Murray wherever drays were permitted to cross. But what of the 250,000 residents in. Rivet ina; how have their interests been consulted oy their Government 1 ? Daring the last few years several new in dustries have sprung up and nourished north of the Murray. The vine has been extensively cultivated, and the wine of Albury has a reputation in Melbourne, and beyond the shores of Australia Tobacco has been grown rather largely, for which Victoria, always afforded a ready market. Wheat, too, was cultivated to some extent, although the country is not well calculated for growing cereals. Other productions were also raised, but we have enumerated the leading ones—the great staples of the country of course being wool and stock. While Riverina was regarded commercially as part ot Victoria, no imposts were levied on its productions, passing its border,, but when New South Wales re-imposed its border duties, Victoria treated the productions of Riverina precisely as it would treat the sea-borne produce of New South Wales or of any other colony that entered its. poits. To, the cultivators of the soil in Riverina this was simply ruin. Beyond the limited consumption of their own district,, there is now no sale for their produce. Their tobacco, which they got tenpencea pound for in Melbourne, has mm to. pay a shilling a pound duty on entering Victoria; and the protective tariff ol Victoria shuts out from consumption other productions of their industry in a similar manner.

The crying injustice of suck a stateof affairs was so strongly felt by the Nevy South Wa.le«

motion for a vote of censure on the Government for not having come to terms with Victoria concerning the border duties, was lately passed by a majority of four. This, it was supposed, would have driven Sir James Martin from office; but, contrary to general expectation, Earl Belmore, although on the eve of departure for England, and when no supplies had been voted, granted a dissolution. Sir James Martin and his colleagues have received the reward they merited. The first election was for East Sydney, which sends four members. Their were nine candidates, five being Ministerialists, including Sir James Martin, the Premier, and Mr Wihon, Minister of Lands. The four Opposition candidate* were elected by large majorities, and they included Mr Parkes, the leader, and Mr Samuels, the Treasurer of the preceding Administration. Three other Ministers have since sustained a similar defeat. The lesson of retributive justice taught the Manin Administration will not be readily forgotten by the public men of Australia.