Our Commerce and Shipping Laws.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7954, 18 October 1905, Page 2

Our Commerce and Shipping Laws.

SPEECH HY THE PREMIER. AN IMPERIAL COINCILADVOCATE!). THE SERVICES WITH SOUTH AFRICA AND CANADA. Speaking at Wellington at a Junclieon given by the marine engineers to welcome Mr J. M. Corby, (the general secretary of the Australasian Mai> ine Engineers' Institute, now on an official)., visit! to New. 'Zleallaml, tho IVomier. who presided, made .on iiunortant speech. After touching on the woi-k of the session and emphasising what had been done regarding tho old age pensions and the teachers' superannuation scheme, bo,dealt with the Shipping Act. Mr Stxldon *wd that/although this Act had. received tho Royal sanction, and was tin law of the land, there was an inclination and desire on the .part ot thosu in the Mother Country to go back on what New Zealand had doire. It was thought that this country, had gone too far. The new Act had had an application which they h«liewd would be. detrimental. Whoever represented this country al, tho proposed conference in. England would have instructions not to go back ; ho might to instructed to obtain more. Tho Premier would like them to realise al, Home that we hoi? to consider our trade with tho Islands, with Honolulu, ami Samoa. Invitations had been received for a conference in* Premiers, which would pro. bably take place next year. There were many matters requiring consul* cration, including the questions of commerce 'and shipping laws, and &> considered the conference tteslrauU with a view of bringing the great force of the Empire to bear and promoting the solidity of Empire. An Imperial Council was urgently wanted, so that! instead of conferences in every three or four years, questions of moment, might he dealt wieh as they cropped up. There should 'bo someone .entrusted with representative power to put at all times hefore the Imperial Council that which) was in tiro best interests of the country. He questioned ■whether peoplo at Home realised the position aa far as these colonies were concerned in regard to the Far East, the construction awl completion of the Panama Canal and iis effect l on our trade, and how it might he to' their detriment at Home. Another reason for an Imperial Council was the great, delay often experienced in connection wilh iihe Privy Council, which tended to create an injustice, the man with the longest purse winning. Mr Seddon announced that the colony's revenue for the first six months this year exceeded that of the correspoiKl. ing period last year by £IOO,OOO. Referring to the South African steam jfervice, iwhioh tliera woj|!danger of losing, tine Premier said that he lie. ver cared to go back, and once having the established connection it should not be severed, if anything in reason could 'be done to prevent it. Some years ago the New Zealand Government had offend a yearly subsidy of £IO,OOO for the establishment of a cargo steamship connection with Canada. That offer still held good, but thd steamship company had wanted £20.000. Now, however, the Canadian' Government had agreid to find £IO,OOO, and New Zealand would perform hpr shnre of the agreement, but only for one year. There was, therefore, a,

possibility oT the service between Hvis country ami Canada being an aecoinplislud fact.'Th,. '.l'ivmier stated that th.' dale of tin' proposed Labour Parliament had been postponed by. the (ioverninrnt, owing- to opinions yoicvd (hut I In- early dese of Um session math; the present time inopportune, swing that no new legislatiim could follow the deliberations of Ihe conference until 'next session. II had ,not yet been delcrmiikd when the conference shoukl'be held.