THE DUKE OF MANCHESTER AND THE COLONIES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1763, 16 August 1884, Page 4

THE DUKE OF MANCHESTER AND THE COLONIES.

. According to Sydney Town and Country, the Duke of Manchester spoke as follows to an interviewer i Financiers in the Old Country, as their knowledge of the country increases, appreciate Australian securities the more; and in the course of time the Australian colonies will b« able to borrow on easier terms. The great majority of the English people are ignorant of the Australian The Colonial Institute has done a great deal to. mitke Australia known and appreciated and should receive more support from the colonies than it has hitherto obtained. In reference to the recidivists difficulty,his Grace said:—"l think that the French people are thoroughly acquainted with the feelings of Australians on the subject, and that it will be better for the latter to deal tenderly in the matter, so as not to irritate the French, The French people as a whole are adverse to the proposals of the Government to send their criminals abroad in the manner intended; and I fancy that it would be advisable for Australian? to let this feeling brew, rather than dp anything which might be likely to anger them. I think that annexation is desirable, but whether it is advisable or not is a question of policy. I have always been in favor of it, as shown in my remarks in introducing deputations to the Premier and to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lord Roseberry has been very useful to you, and may be able to do the colonies some good, as he is a supporter of the present Gladstone Government. The Australian cricketers going Home, and travelling through England attract attention to the colonies. As to federation, I think that the sooner that object is achieved the better it will be for all the colonies individually and collectively. But I am of opinion that the matter will have to be dealt with very carefully, It will require the exercise of great judgment to establish a scheme upon a fair and sound basis; and I think it would be preferable to begin in a small way by federating in matters in which all the colonies are of one mind, rather than to have a cumberous paper constitution, which might prove unworkable, and retard tho progress of the project for years. I should say, let the colonies agree distinctly upon certain things and federate upon them. To go back to the recidivistes question, I *m perfectly certain that you need not expect any assistance from Gladstone, He will not tak9 any steps to assist you. The whole country is against you, and I only hope that there will soon be a general election. In order to make Australia well known in the Old Country I would advise the appointment of competent lecturers, men throughly acquainted with the colonies, and personally interested in them. This would be expensive; but if you had federation all the colonies would join in the expense,