INTERCOLONIAL CONFERENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 53, 1 March 1873, Page 4

INTERCOLONIAL CONFERENCE.

The Sydney correspondent of the Australasian writes as : follows :r— lf the conference has not absolutely settled the postal question, it has at least got on the other subjects. , What the result of all the debating has been still remains a mystery; but it is certain that one or other of the tenders for the San Francisco mail service will be accepted, It was Mr. Vogel's object in coming to Sydney to prevent this, if possible, and when he found that a commissioner was to go direct from Sydney to Washington, and ascertained' the moderate amount of two local tenders, he saw that all idea of getting up a heavy subsidy in favor of the Webb line was . out of the question, and that it was necessary to make a bold effort;, to secure support. The walls of the room in which the conference meets are adorned with plans and models of the steamers which Mr Hall has designed for the San Francisco service, and everyone can see how much better calculated to do the work large iron screw steamers of such a class are than Mr Webb's wooden vessels. Under these circumstances Mr Yogel offered to bring the Webb line right on to Sydney without any subsidy at all, provided that our Government gave its best support to secure an American and English subsidy. Such a policy promised to relieve Auslra-' Ha at the expense of America, although it must be remembered that the Bill previously submitted to conference contained a proviso that the nojo-Americau subsidy should equal that granted by the United States Government, in which case the English and New Zealand contributions would have to equal that obtained from Washington. The telegrams received by Mr Vogei from Mr Webb are slightly ambiguous, and are accepted cum grano. It is difficult to believe that select committees of both Houses tiave reported in favor of the Bill, when it is known that subsidy bills are not referred to select committees, but go before the Committee of Commerce. There is no difficulty in getting a proposal of this kind through its formal stages in the House of Representatives. The trouble is the Senate.' It is already known in Sydney that the tender of the A.S.N. Company is not very, much oVer £50,000, while that of Mr Half is lower still. When this amount conies to be subdivided out amongst the different colonies, and the mother country gives what it had almost promised to the Duffy - cum - Yog el line, it will be seen at once that we can afford to be contented with a moderate contribution from the United States — say, not less than £10,00 a-year. But itis already giving £15,000 a-year simply for the service between San Francisco and Honolulu — a service slowly performed by antiquated tubs. It would save £5,000 a-year on such, a supposition by contributing to a service which would give it not only a line to Honolulu but to all the Australias. The Americans are naturally proud of their flag at sea, and anxious to extend their steam marine, and lobbying and jobbery are very rife at Washington, yet we can hardly suppose that the Senate will knowingly vote away £100,000 a-year for ten years when a vote of about £10,000 ayear for five years will secure them all they want.

The conference has devoted some time to the question of telegraphs. New Zealand urges a duplicate line by a cable from Carpentaria to Macassar, and from Macassar to Singapore, and this line finds favor with the departmental authorities here. Mr Barlee, on the other hand, wants a cable from South Australia to King George's Sound, from which point there is already a land-line to Perth and Champion Bay, which would, if required, be extended to the North-west Cape, from which point the cable might be laid to Ceylon. The Government of South Australia does not object to a duplicate line, although for the present it regards its own line as sufficient, but it asks that the colonies should not reward the enterprise of South Australia by united competition against it. It Stands prepared, if required, to battle singlehanded against the enterprise of any other colony, whether it be Queensland or Western Australia. But if the united colonies think it necessary to subsidise a second line, then let them in all fairness, 1 take over the South Australian line as part of their scheme. '*■,-,.; r ••:'; ;..-." .. -■ ; ■ ;■'?:• --: /'.

At a banquet given to the delegates from the various colonies at the Conference now being. .held Jn, >Sydney, ; Mr.^Jj.^G. of Victoria, in reply to the toast ";Our guests this evening, the ; repreeedtativea of the Aostraliaa colonies and New: Zealand," said that he trusted from this tinie forth tthaijeajßh colp.ny,vii;whilefiih its Bepßra^aod distinct relation it |eel4s9i;6w^ any minor di?ergeQCi o

opinion or of interest,, if ever the time pit trial or difficulty arose, be prepared to assert the principlethat blood; was thicker than water (Cheers). Aui that they were determined to hang 'together — (hat through good report and through evil report; they; would stick to each other as' one people descended from one common stock. " They acknowledged the one common origin — tbpy were all subjects of the .one beloved Queen, they all knew with certainty that in the future they had a. great and glorious history before them., Let each then strive, not in jealousy, bu'tj in emulation, to achieve Ihe foremost place. As the/ representative of one colony he knew that his feeling was that the colony he represented had this characteristic of youthful blooil — when/ her people quarrelled they hit out straight from the shoulder, and when they made friends they shook hands from the heart. The present gathering partook of a national character, and alii local jealousies must necessarily be thrown aside in the presenceof the cordialitj^and hospitality which they had received- as the guests of so important an assemblage as the Parliament- of New South Wales; To that colony they desired to pay all . possible respect. They had come here to arrange, if possible, not merely minor matters* affecting the present, but to consider thos& ; which would beco.no of importance in the. future. They had come to reflect upon the,paßt, and, as be hoped, to arrange for the future. Whatever might be the result of this their small beginning, they would, at any rate, grow out of their personal recognition of each other the certainty that there could never be any such material difference of opinion between them iv any unimportant matter as would separate them permanently from each other. In the rapid changes which took place on the other side of. the globe, they knew not what a week might bring forth — they could scarcely answer for an hour ; and circumstances might occur under which our mutual reliance might prove our greatest strength ..{Cheers), He felt that he was speaking the sentiments of all present when he said this, and be could tell them further,;, that the colony of Victoria would be prepared at any moment to help New South Wales, as he felt assured New South Wales would be prepared to assist Victoria should ever the hour of danger arrive, and mutual assistance be required. Whilst they were in the hour of general prosperity, for which be humbly thanked the Divine ruler^ there might be small famijy differences between, them that on the whole' might not probably prove injurious to' their mutual progress. They must feel that there were instincts which necessarily induced emulation even amongst the best of brethren. This, however, need not necessarily occasion jealousy. Let them but. keep in view the fact that they were bound together by the strongest ties of. kindred and country, and he was sure that they would all prove themselves worthy of the mission which destiny seemed to have shaped out for the colonies of Australia. The world in its history had no precedent for the present condition of things in these colonies. Whilst the great country of the United States had shown them what Anglo-Saxons could do when their sphere of action was enlarged, yet there were there an admixture of countries and people. This mixture did not at all events distinguish the Australian communities, for a whole they were firmly and essentially British. (Cheers). They were fervent in their loyalty to their Queen* and they neither hoped for nor an ticipated a change. On the contrary,be hoped thatshould ever the day of trial come upon Great Britain, that would not be seized. upon as the opportunity for increasing our Bocial interests, or of meting out assistance with a niggard hand; but that they would spring forward as one community to her aid with that generous-hearted sympathy that our parent demanded at their hands. (Cheers). It might appear egotistical ia any member of the Australian community thus to speak of the comparatively great and potent power of Britain, which, he was proud to' say; 'y ei held the first place in the world; but he did so because he felt that 'this was the true mission of Australia, although far distant might the day be' when she should be called upon to fulfil it. Whenever that day should arrive <he was sure that their patriotism would be called into play, that all minor difficulties would be sunk, and that with one heart and with,; one hand they would show they had'^ descended from worthy .sires,, 6^ 'whom they were no unworthy sons.