A VISITOR’S OPINION.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume III, Issue 289, 26 September 1881, Page 3

A VISITOR’S OPINION.

It will be remembered that some little time ago the Duke of Manchester paid a visit to this Colony, and when here expressed his surprise at the rapid progress the young country had made, ffe are fdad to observe that his impressions were permanent, and that he is now giving others at Home the benefit of his experiences. At a dinner given by the Lord Mayor of London last July, to the colonial representatives, the Duke in responding to the toast of “ The House of Lords,” said :—“ One army has been already toasted here to night ; I have to make allusion to what I will take the liberty of calling another army, which has greatly served the Empire. It is not an army which is obliged to attain its purposes by inflicting wounds and death, or by appropriating provinces which already belong to a civilised race ; but it is an army which lias added to the empire a dominion as magnificent ** any portion of the realms over which your lloyal Highness in the course of nature will one day be called upon to rule. That army has accomplished great things ; it has peacefully conquered a territory nearly equal in size to Europe.” He next referred to the wealth of the colonies, their exports and imports, to Australia having produced thirty-six million bushels of wheat, to its wool having beaten the English production out of the market in quantity and in value. “Hot only have the colonists done so much, but as consumers they have benefited English manufacturers to an enormous extent. It is calculated that Australians and New Zealanders per head, man, woman, and child, consumes LS 10s worth of British goods, j while France only consumes at the, rate of j 7s Sd per head, aud the United States only j at the rate of 7s per head. These are facts showing that, if for no other reason, there are very forcible financial reasons why we should consolidate, encourage, and promote in every way the prosperity of the British colonies.” In reference to his reception in the colonies, and to the inability of the Prince of Wales to visit Australasia, the Duke paid the following compliment to colonial loyalty :—“ 1 have often thought since if 1 a humble loyal subject of Her Majesty was so honoured, what would have been the reception your .Royal Highness would have met with had you been able to visit the most magnificent territory, inhabited by a most gallant and loyal people who delight to call themselves the subjects of Queen Victoria, and who though perhaps, they and their parents were born in Australia, still look upon England as, and call it, their home. I am glad your lordshiphas given me this early opportunity of thanking all Australasians for their friendship, and of expressing my admiration of their great country, and of congratulating Melbourne—unfortunately I was not in time to see the exhibition at Sydney —upon the success of its exhibition. If i my recollection serves me, it was quite equal to our first exhibition in London in 185 1. I sincerely hope that these colonies will continue to prosper as they have done. If they do they will in a short time become by far the most important part of the empire.”