ENGLAND AND THE COLONIES. (From The Colonist, Aug. 7.)

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 393, 19 November 1874, Page 2

ENGLAND AND THE COLONIES. (From The Colonist, Aug. 7.)

'I in; soundness of principles may often be displayed by the pith and brevity with which their truths are capable of being expressed. No one who has taken a leading part in tho dis-cus-ion of Imperial aud Colon -al policy hiis produced as many telling sayings respecting tliom whiuh deserve to bo remembered as Mr Edward Wilson. In addressing Lord Carnarvon ou tho Fiji deputation, ho spoko of thoso who j want to degrado England into a mere " coal-liole and blacksmith's shop for the rest of the worlo." Now what could more accurately express the policy of tho^o self called economists w ho consider our colonial follow subjects merely as so many customers, who should be retained in tk<3 Empire only «o long ns their union with the Mother Country will better subaer'o tho purposes of trade, but who should be cast oif us aliens if our commercial gains derived from them would not thereby be diminished ? — because, forsooth, the colonies might interfere with the coal and forge business, might involve this country in a war, or require some protection from her while one was going; on and thus interrupt the business or reduce th<? business of the shop. Tin's policy being quite of recent date, and so oppose^ to the spirit and feelings upon winch Englishmen have so long prided themselves, MV Wd»on speaks of its advocatps as having raised an opposition to the good old Imperial British flug, which has " braved nt houtand years tbe battle and the breeze," the " shoddy flag of the Manchester school," winch " any man could knock to pieces in ten minutes with a pea« shooter and a squirt." There is great truth, force, and welldeserved scorn in these expressions in which Mr Wilson most justly deals with a mere grovelling, money-making policy which has raised its head in opposition to the noble principle* of Imperial unity. It is astounding that raonor should in the presr-nt day havo to completely possessed men's souls ns to prevent them from toeing anything but profits, debtor and creditor account?, in Iho relations of our splendid Empire ; and not only so, bul to have deprived them of all sense of shame in declaring their belief. In no time ox nation has the question of Empire been so regarded, mid certainly Mr Wilson, in the oayin^ which he has produced, has exactly pourt raved in their true light Iho idea which every true Briton should indignantly repudiate. Another feature in. Imperial relations which Mr Wilson has forcibly brought out by witty sayings is the imperfect manntr in which the Impeii.il P.-uliament deals with questions beyond *)u* limits of the United Kingdom, and the necessity for some system of' Imperial Government which shall include color ml lepiesentation. He has remarked how that, whilst such a dispute as that which took place between Mr Ayrton and M r Bei esford Hope a session or two ago, as to whether the crypt at. the Houses of Parliament was a chapel or a vault, or " or some question about the growi h of the grass in Hyde Paik," or "whether bathers should be allowed to use soap in the Serpentine," challenges the attention of cither House of Parliament, benches arc empty during imporlaut. questions affecting Imperial or Colonial intorests. Ail this is perfectly true, and has often been remarked, but truth pointedly put; is <loubly effective. The sayings which we have repeated are just such as hearers aie likely easily to carry aw iy mcl then well pomler over, and when the laugh which t icy at first occasion lias subsided they will bear much serioi s reflection A truth convex ed to the understanding in a light and pleasant way looses none of i's weight in the caniage These amusing sayings of Mr Wilson will stand the test of n-uch solid argument" They bung boldly o t some of th most important featur s of the Impart il question. We have n jver seen them grouped toge her, anil now produce them, thinking thc-:i well worthy of an article.