The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact Justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1889.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2694, 17 October 1889, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact Justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1889.

Whilst Imperial Federation and Colonial Federation aie forming the hopes of British statesmen, and the union of kindred races is the aim in different parts of the world, there is another movement with a similar object agitating the minds of lending men in thes! colonies. Before cjhmial political unity can he accomplished, one great drawhack must he removed. It is almost useless to mike the attempt to achieve a federation of the Australasian colonies, (except that utility is found in constantly educating tlm people on the subject) until the formidable barrier to success in the shape of fiscal differences is set aside. At present there is a wide divergence; in the fiscal policy and tariffs of the various colonies, which must he remodelled and assimilated on a common hasis before any progress can he gained for the cause of federation. The war of tariffs between protectionist., free-trade, and intermediate colonies has not only to cease, but the conviction must be arrived at, sooner or later, that combination i.s necessary between each great and closely-related communitv. in consequence of the commercial activity and competition of rival foreign nations. We verily believe tint the irritation and retaliative spirit at present seen bet-.veeu certain of our colonies, arc of a fleeting nature, and will ultimately be succeeded by desires based on broader and more liberal principles. The evils of opposing tariffs will he brought so much the more prominently to the notice of each section of the antipodean Anglo-Saxon people, that a change of feeling will take placc and lead to a mutual approach towards each other from all sides. The effects of the extreme isolation of the early period of the colonies have not yet died away, but, there are clear evidences that the rapid increase of inter-communi-cation and spread of the knowledge of each others' resources and capabilities, are breaking down all those old notions of seclusion and national selfishness. The interests of the Empire, if we are to continue a mighty political and commercial empire, will serve to convince the colonies that cohesion amongst their scattered members is an absolute necessity. British trade must be protected in order that none of it* proud supremacy may lie lost, and British trade f'jr the British Empire should be made impregnable from outside competition. Wc are again led into the subject, and to make the foregoing observations by a perusal of the long and able paper read before the Ohristchureh Industrial Association by Mr Beavan, which was published by the Christchurch Press, and in which the question of Intercolonial Reciprocity is cxhaus'ively treated. What this means Mr Beavan answers by declaring it to be "The trade between the several colonies of Australasia with a Customs union between them based on a uniform tariff against the rest of the world." He proceeds to show that the coloniey arc already, to a great extent, depeuueut ou eayu other for

products of various kinds, and maintains that, " a uniform tariff is the best of all links to band the interests of the various colonies, and must come years before federation." In tracing tho history of the present movement, which he dates buck to 1857, tho writer showed that rival Chambers of Commerco and Manufactures were now /'it rupporl with each other on the question, and in both Sydney and Melbourne resolutions were passed affirming the necessity for promoting an assimilation of all the colonial tariffs. One or two extracts from the paper referred to will, porhaps, serve to illustrate the author's moaning and tho application of the arguments adduced by him. For instance, lie says : —

A common agreement respecting our naval defence has been arrived at, and an Australasian navy will shortly be cruising round our shores to defend an Australasian commerce. We combine our purses to defend our goods, yet we do not eat oir neighbour's fruits or drink his wine, nor do wo allow him to cross our borders till we have oxamined his baggage. The combination for defence against the force of war must be followed by a combination against industrial attacks. Industrial war in Europe is taking the place of political and diplomatic warfare. After pointing to the results achieved by the German Zollverein, lie proceeds:— I need hardly direct your attention to the United States of America. There in a country where they are, if anything more intellectually anil commercially keen than ourselves, the whole nation, that through its free trade with the several States each reaps advanttges from the Union, it could not have if it stood alone. I will call your attention to a further development of American shrewdness and farsight. Not content with their present Union they seek to establish an American Z dlverein for the whole continent, with the South American Republics and Brazil, to promote and draw closer the interests of these countries. He tlie'i gives an illustration of tho benefits of reciprocity as found in the case of C.uind.i, the leading member of the British colonial faniilv.

Canada, also, the other great off-shoot of the. British nation, lias seen the ad van tage of reciprocity. When the States first met to form th- Constitution f^.T.tinDominion of Canada, their tariffs w'erd far more varie>! than those of the Australian colonies to day The seaboard colonies' interests were nlmost diam> trkally opposite to those of Upper and fj'uvcr Canada. Yet a recent high authority says—" The immediate result of confederation was a rapid progress in many ways. New railways were pro jectcil an 1 brought into operation, new lines ot steamships were established, fresh avenues of native and foreign trade were diligently sought out, anil a succession of prosperous years were marked by a steady commercial msiou.

Autf n,»st some of the impediments to colonial federation of this kind is the fear of the labour classes that Chinese and other che p workers will be introduced to drive them from industrial occupations, and tli.it tliey think a high protective policy is their liest safeguard against, this danger. This fear, however, is a in 're phantom ; the superior Anglo-Saxon race is not so easily surplanteri. Mr Beavan exhorts all of us to exert our influences to prevent this colony from entering upon the petty retaliative tariffiogi.slation that is now the case in Australia, and that we should endeavour to make men all of one mind on the question, and comprehend the great advantage then? would l>e gained from a permanent and uniform tarifl'. lie also savs :—

Our producers eeitiinly hive everything to gain fiom interooloui il reciprocity and nothing to lose, They are the ones who should force the hands of our legislators, ami compel them to take up the ipestinn. During the last year, when the drought in Australia caused n large demand for our product*, we hive hnl a foretaste of wh it we might expect litt ler intercolonial reciprocity. What would he the position of our fanners if the demand for New South Wales ami Victoria for oats were to cease and the export to Australia of our produce come to an end ? There is the danger that if our legislators do not take a greater interest in the matter we maybe left out side uf a united Australasia, with freetrade amnngest the colonies of the mainland and hostile tari'Y against ourselves. We have something, therefore, to lose in not doing our part to bring about intercolonial reciprocity amongst the people of Australasia.