FREE TRADE V. PROTECTION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 323, 21 January 1874, Page 3

FREE TRADE V. PROTECTION.

Our Australian Telegrams are significant. We read, under date Melbourne, January 3rd : " Owing to the abolition of the ad valorem duties in New South Wales, notice of the abrogation of the Border Treaty has been given by Victorin-for the end of the present month." This is " the protective measure" j which a prevous telegram intimated should j be taken to secure Victoria against the con- ' sequences of competition by New South Wales. What a pity that Mr. Francis cannot imitate the renowned Pr. Francia, and make Victoria the Paraguay of Australia That remarkable man was a consistant protectionist ; he' was thorough in word and deed, and for a time made Paraguay "self supporting," by isolating its territory from commercial intercourse with the rest of the world. The Australian Protectionists should be consistent and mxike of Melbourne a second Assuncion, and elect some local top-knot to the office of perpetual Dictator. Meanwhile steps aro being taken, by abrograting the Border Treaty, to compel residents within the Victorian border of Riverina to pay a far higher price for imported goods than they could be had for acrosa the border ; whereupon two results will follow : goods will be smuggled into Yictoi-ia, and bad feeling be engendered between ihe two provinces ; and those who do not care to- embark in illicit traffic, or encourage it, will seek a settlement in New South Wales. Mr. Pabkes has only to pursue his present enlightened policy, and he will find New South Wales rapidly- outstripping Victoria in the march of progress. 1 here are economic laws which cannot be transgressed with impunity. But Victoria -would compel her neighbours tol>e as great economic sinners as herself. In this she will fail, and must lose her prestige or abandon her restrictive policy. We hold that were New Zealand to adopt a free-trade policy, which is quite feasible in the present state of her finances, her population would increase by voluntary immigration as rapidly as it is now being increased by forced immigration. The. example of New South Wales should not be lost to us in this country, which is so essentially dependent on commercial enterprise for its prospei-ity. — "Guardian."