The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1869.

Southland Times, Issue 1093, 20 January 1869, Page 2

The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1869.

The geographical position of the Australian Colonies, with relation to Tasmania, New Zealand, and the other settlements of the Pacific, in the facility for communication between all, appears to argue a design of union. The rapid settlement and peopling of one island or colony after another, by reason of continually recurring discoveries, in themselves opening I up wide and apparently boundless fields of enterprise, indicate that at no very distant date these shores will be peopled by countless thousands assimilaled by the common features of relationship and language. The design of uniou appears to be still further indicated by the adaptation of the different colonies to different pursuits and productions, as i well as by the capacity of the whole | viewed as such, to furnish every requisite for the comfort and prosperity of the different communities. "Without entering into details as to the capacity of each colony in reference to particular products, it may be safely asserted that within the range of these southern settlements, most of the articles required for the existence in comfort of the human family, can be advantageously supplied. Until, however, the true principles of mutual dependence aud the advantage of union, are understood and recognized, it will be vain to expect to derive the benefits from the efforts of each other, which Nature had evidently intended we should realize. In all Grovernments more or less of selfishness obtains, and the lesson is ordinarily very hard to learn, which teaches mankind that by seeking the good of others their own will ultimately be promoted. The fiscal regulations of the varioas colonies in this hemisphere, although widely dissimilar, have perhaps more than anything else appeared to tend to | the realization in each case, of an isolated position, and to the exclusion of co-operation. True political economy has been so little understood, or if understood so little practised, as that colonial legislation has generally ignored the principle, that by adding to others wealth we may increase our own. Obnoxious, because oppressive, and prohibitory tariffs have been resorted to in some instances, provoking retaliatory measures in others. The result has been a degree of uncertainty and risk in our commercial relations, which has tended materially to impede the progress, as well as to lessen the profit of business. It must be borne in mind that while we are prepared to advocate a fiscal uniformity, we do so utterly apart from the question of political agreement or union. In the matter of customs there is probably no

grave or insuperable argument against a uniformity of system, while against I delay -^hg^j^pfe 1 ■ dHl* ' f Pftfe 1 J^ system* W^.. --* -<•' peoarate j Q communities whose relations to each other, and to the whole materially ] differ, much may be said. "Without in • the slightest degree recognizing any con- ' nection between the two ideas of political 1 and commercial union, or the tendency of the acceptance of the one to necessitate ( that of the other, there is little reason to , doubt but that the establishment of a system of colonial free trade, would, more ; than any other measure, facilitate a true colonial union on the broadest and soundest basis. With respect to New Zealand it may be argued that at the present the abandonment of our import duties cannot be thought of— the revenue : must be had. Unfortunately the same may be said in every place, yet the argument is unsound. If the balance could be now struck between tbe amount of revenue realized on colonial imports, and the loss sustained to the community by the non export of that which we could, and probably should advantageously export, but for the customs regulations of the adjoining colonies — the gain to ourselves by the adoption of the mutual principle would be very great. The experiments elsewhere to increase exports and diminish imports by tbe adoption of high duties and prohibitory regulations, have been found to fail utterly. In Victoria— quoting from the ' Argus' — " The exports year by year to the other Australian colonies increased steadily from 1860 to 1864." * * * ■• In 1864 a marked decline took place wbicb has not been recovered to the present time." These statements being supported by statistics, the ' Argus' proceeds to say : — " The year 1864 it will be remembered was the last in which, tbe old traffic was in force ; whether tbe change in our fiscal system is responsible for this decline in our int3rcolonial trade, people will determine in accordance with their political views. The fact, however, remains that up to 1864, the export branch of that trade increased in a steady and most satisfactory manner. And that since that year a very serious falling off has occurred. Strange say, our imports from the other colonies have not declined in the same marked manner." * * * "It was the object of the change in the tariff to increase our exports, and lessen our imports, but since it has been in existence, some influence has been at work to deprive us of some of our customers and lessen our sales, while the same or some other influence has rendered us larger customers of frhft Tii^ffhk<»tMwgp-cTrlo~nies.'' The ' Sydney Morning Herald,' advocating the principle of unity of colonial tariffs, while admitting the difficulties of the question, says : — " The sooner we begin to tackle the difficulties of the question the sooner we are lively to find our way to the conclusion. The admitted difficulties form no justification for an indefinite postponement." * * * * "No one familiar with the details of trade will deny that the restrictions established by the various Custom Houses are a great waste of profit and convenience. The loss and detriment to trade was seen most strikingly on the Murray, when the revenue collectors were busy there, but it is scarcely less in the coasting trade, though it comes in a form less galling, and less calculated to provoke a sense of injury." The same authority recommends the formation of " a consolidated Customs' Establishment for the whole of the colonies, and a redistribution of the proceeds," and regards this as " the plan which will ultimately be adopted." The adoption of such a plan everyone, anxious for the unrestricted intercourse of nations and communities, will desire. The antagonistic interests now existing between the different colonies, as well as being the occasion to each of commercial loss, are equally so the occasion of discord, heartburning and strife, while their removal by such a course as tbe one now under contemplation, will tend more than any other to the development of the resources of each individual colony, to an extent at present not thought of.