OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 367, 22 October 1889, Page 3

OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

[raOM OUB OWN CORRESPONDENT. I

Sydszy, October 2. The prorogation of Parliament has turned out to be a very lingering affair. “ Linked sweetness long drawn out” would be a poetical way of phrasing it. lam not quite lure about the sweetness, however, though of the elongation there is no manner of doubt* Perhaps it would be more accurate to com> pare the proceedings to the •’ petering out \ of a boys’ bonfire. It seems to be all bu out, when, 10, there is another flash and flare, another shout, and another war-dance and war-whoop. And when that has done there is another one, and as it is out of the question to think of leaving whilst a spark remains, the painful parting is indefinitely postponed. Last week the Premier notified that it was Intended to prorogue on Friday. There was only the Payment of Members Bill, the Council's amendments to the Land Bill, the public works programme, the additional estimates, the loan estimates, the supplementary estimates, a few private bills, and such other inpromptu matters as might occur to any peculiarly zealous member. Under ordinary circumstances each of these might have been reckoned as good for a week at the very least. But it was considered that the hope of getting into recess would provide Buch a stimulus that they could all be disposed of in a couple of days. But the House, which continually and perversely disappoints the Premier’s charitable estimate of its zeal,

application and docility, disappointed it in this instance also. After enjoying the unquestioned privilege of speaking for about half a day at a time about nothing, the members who do the talking could not all at once realise that they were to debar themselves from the privilege of speaking, say for half-an-hour on business of real interest and importance. So it is easy to see why it bas proved more difficult to eod the session than was anticipated. Considerable improvement in trade is expected from the passing of the Land Bill, i t is hoped that now the question of tenure and compensation for improvements is set at ryt, there will be a general move to increase tifcarrying capacity of the pastoral lands tapwater storage, subdivision, and other improvements which must add to the wealth of the country, besides employing labor, and causing an increased demand for merchandise. It is to be hoped these expeo tations will be realised. So far as figures affiard any indication the colony scams to have been retrogressing of late. The revenue returns for the September quarter show a very trifling increase. But the revenue for the year ending September 30, is a more significant Index than that of the quarter, It shows a decrease, as compared with the previous twelve months of £90,400, whereas, seen from the natural increase of population there should be a considerable increase. Of course no one can wonder at this. The Government has been content to look idly pn, without making any attempt to bring together the unemployed capital, the undeveloped resources and the unemployed labor of the country, They have allowed the community to drift, and it has naturally drifted downwards Instead of upwards. Still, as I said before, the passing of the Land Bill is a step in the right direction, aud in the nature of things with a fair lambing, a good price for Wool, and the prospect of an excellent harvest there should shortly be some change for the better.

One step forward was taken by the Municipal Conference, which sat in Svdney last week. They passed a resolution' affirming that all taxation for municipal purposes should be raised from land values only. At J present nearly the whole of it is levied upon mprovemeata, and it therefore forms a crushing tax upon those who build, and those whose outlay and enterprise raised the value of lands which are left unimproved. The Conference represents the municipalities of the colony, and if this pnncip'e is enforced, the ultimate benefit should be great, though probably there would be cases of individual hardship. A deputation from the Conference waited on Sir Henry Parkes to request him to embody taxation on land values only in his Local Government Bilh —But the Premier did not convey the '■‘impression that he was very zealous in the pause, The alliance which was entered into St the Freetrade Conference between the Single Taxers and the Freetraders does not apparently extend to the point of making any Serious concessions to the former. A Protectionist Conference commenced its pittings in Sydney yesterdav. Delegates from all the districts of the colony were present, and Mr Edmund Barton, the ex-Speaker of I the Legislative Assembly, presided. Considerable confidence was expressed by the various speakers, who, one and all, gave the impression that they believed themselves on the winning side, and deemed that the ulti mate victory was only a matter of time. Of course, they are no more free than their opponents from the vice of using one side of truth to crush the other side. The partisan spirit always manifests itself in the same way whether it dominates Free Trader or Protectionist, Liberal or Conservative, jlationaliet or Imperialist. Its one trump card is the abutting of its eyes to tbe facts and arguments adduced by its opponents, and loudly vociferating its own shibboleth the while. A picture of a scene which occurred nearly two thousand years ago is as accurate to-day as a picture of a state of mind as it was then of a narrative of foots. We read oi the pltipens of Ephesus that when they were alarmed at the teaching of Paul and its probable consequences to the worship of their chosen goddess, “ they all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, • Great is Diana of the Ephesians.’” They were not troubled with many misgivings about the joundpess of their doctrine for that two hours at any rats, Substitute " Protection,” “ Free Trade " or any other party cry for ” Diana," and you have the logical attitude of the blind E artisan, who can’t see anything till one eye as been put out, and who can’t say anything Until tbe other side has been silenced. gut who knows only his own side knows little of that," It seems to me, for Instance, that the truth about Protection and _ ««.e Trade will include both. It will not obliterate either of them, but will show each in its proper relation to the other. It will ♦how, for instance, when the shield appears fb pe golden, and why it so appears; when it appears to be silver, and whether the silver supports the gold, or the gold the silver. Take, for instance, the question of peace or war, One section of extremists declare for peace at any price, and decline to tolerate the thought of war under any circumstances. Opposed to them is the military section, which has its interests in fame and booty, in pay and promotion, in army contracts und financial jobbery. But both these Its ruled put of court by the patriotic citizen of average common sense. He sees at a glance that there jpuet be some preparation for war and determination to fight if necessary, But to ensure the maximum of independence and prosperity there must be only so much warlike preparation and demonstration as shall suffice to secure peace. Tbe truth in this case tolerates com and shows seen in its right relation to the Other, Why cannot those speakers and writers who disease Protection and Free Trade regard them in a similar manner? If they did, my own opinion is that they would see that there should be just eo much PrbteeHon as will suffice io secure Free Trade. Trade, it must be borne m mind, includes the production as welt the exchange of commodilies. It includes all branches of industry which make up the health and wealth, the vigor and strength, of tbe State, Freedom oi trade therefore includes the freedom of industry, its liberty to be conceived and horn, to increase and grow until it come* to" full jpaturity and vigor. For these purposes, jl Ippears to me, some measure of Protection may sometimes be needed, And the extremlsts on both sides aye evidently “ out of court.”