THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 1880.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3504, 18 March 1880, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 1880.

While occasionally in New Zealand separation of the two islands is advocated, we find leading statesmen in Australia seriously considering the propriety of the amalgamation of the Colonies of Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia, without one Parliament and a general Government, Many of the arguments used to support the view taken by Sir H. Parkes, Premier of New South Wales, and so ably advocated by Sir Gavin Daffy, of Victoria, in discussing the case of New Zealand, and the desirbility of continuing the. unity of the colony,, may well apply to an article in the Morning Post discussing Sir Henry Parkes' contribution to the Melbourne Retiew upon the question of the"Federation of the Australian Colonies, says:— " Sir Henry Parkfs'proposalis not for federation but for amalgamation. He suggests that the three principle colonies, viz., New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, should be united together for Legislative and administrative pur*' poses, wiih one Parliament and General Government, and he points out how this would give the united provinces of British Australia, as he would term it, a population of two; millions, with a property of unalienated land amounting to four hundred and fifty millions of acres, and revenues of between eleven and twelve millions sterling. They already possess two thousand four hundred miles of railway, and many^ hundreds more are in course of construction or projected. We need not, however, dwell upon the weath or resources of those colonies, they are sufficiently well known. Our object is to refer to Sir Henry Parkes' proposal, which he has put forward at what he deems a fitting moment, when Australia in general, and New South Wales in particular, are attracting an unusual amount of attentiou through the inauguration of the Sydney • International Exhibition." .... A quarter' of a century has elapsed since a select committee of the New South Wales Legislative. Council appointed to prepare a Constitution Bill expressed a strong opinion in favour of a general Assembly to legistate for all the Australian colonies on quesiions affecting in like manner Australian interests. Too subjects they' supposed should be dealt with by such an Assembly were tariff laws, railway and postal communication, coast lighting, criminal management, and a central court of appeal frotn'the courts of the separate colonies. The questions of general immigration and united action for the defence of the colonies were not under discussion, though, as Sir Henry Parkes points out, they are two of the most important that have to be dealt with. However, nothing came of this recomjnendation of the select committee at the time; and what practical results have since been obtained towards the same end ? It is to be regretted that the answer is not a favourable one. There have been intercolonial conferences on various subjects, but they have usually been of comparatively minor importance, and there has been generally au extreme difference of opinion. On such a question as the tariff we see how wide is the divergence of policy between the two colonies of New Scmth Wales and Victoria. The former is practically carrying out free trade, whilst Victoria has just made her tariff more protective though it is satisfactory to noto that the Government has not succeeded in doing this without raising the ire of the farmer 3 .and miners, Mjho form two very important elements in the community. It is true that "their anger against, the Ministry has been. aroused by no feeling of the impropriety/of the policy they are pursuing, -but--entirely because their owa interests hare been.affected ; but at the same time if it is.coming to this t thift each class finding itself injured in some way by the protective tariff is to insist upon its being modified to suit its particular view, the result must come iv the end that the tariff will have to be modified into nearly total abolition, and only such items will be retained as are universally acknowledged to be fit objects for the payment of duty. Again, Victoria and New South Wales have been frequently in dispute in regard to the intercolonial duties to be levied on the border of the two colonies, where there should be none at all. Sir Hsupy Parkes mainly relies for the carrying out of his scheme upon the fact t4i»t the three colonies are closely allied in their geographical relations, tbp corresponding character of their leading pursuits; and their equality of promise in their future G4p;ibililies^ He would not include Queensland in the proppsed arrangement, as in his opinion > its papabilil.jes of soil :and climate clearly mark it out for a colonising career dissimilar from that of: the older Australian colonies. No? does he make any reference to Western Australia, Tasmania, or New Zealand. The latter colony has made such a decided start in life fop itself, and i« so distant from the others of the group, that the ulni.st that could be expected from it at any time would be to form part of a federal union. Tasmania is not bo progressive as the other provinces, but it has many points to recommend it to notice, is advancing, if somewhat slowly,

. " "":iSr . "~* - "■■ — - and ought not to be ignored in any proposed combinations or calculations for Iho future. Western Australia is probably disregarded by Sir Henry Park'es, for the present at any rate, as, although it covers an area nearly as large as all the other colonies on the continent, its resources are scarcely developed, and its population is not much more than a tenth of that of the city of Melbourne. After further treating the subject, the article concludes by an expression of opinion that the colonies " having novr reached their present stage, it is scarcely likely that they will unite in the way ■proposed by Sir Henry Parkes. It is far more probable that in the course of a few years, when closer and more frequent communication, arising from the spread of railways, shall have helped to remove local prejudices and eradicated inter, national jealousies, die advantage .of a federal union will be recognised, and that a* dominion ..for the group will be estab lished, which will take cognizance of all matters of the highest importance hav^ ing a wide nnd general application, whilst each colony will maintain its own local .Government." The above extracts states the question very fairly, and the opinions expressed may bo probably correct, yet if it be possible for the vast dominion of Canada to be governed so satisfactorily by a federal Parliament and the many conflicting interests of its inhabitants consequent upon variety of climate, race, and many circumstances unknown in the colonies mentioned, the difficulty in the way of such a scheme as that suggested by Sir H. Parkes being consummated cannot be said to be unsurmountablo. However, until the Legislature of each colony accepts to a certain degree such views upon federation or amalgamation,, and gradually directs legislation towards that object but little real advancement w)ll be made, and the advocates of such, views will have to content themselves like other reformers with expressing their opinions, trusting'to a future generation perhaps to carry them into effect. „