SIR GEORGE GREY AND FEDERATION.

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 148, 8 June 1881, Page 2

SIR GEORGE GREY AND FEDERATION.

TO THE . EDITOR OF THS MANAWATU TIMES. Sir, — As a reader Of the -Evening Post, I have occasionally perused with regret its editorial strictures on Sir George Grey. I ana not one of his admirers; and I believe that many faults appertain to his public character ; yet, m days that are. past, he has rendered service to his country and to this colony ; and has received at times the approbation _of his Sovereign and the applause of the people. I would suggest, therefore, that the," capitisnives" attaching to bis years, should to some extent screen him from reproaches of too acrimonious a nature,-', unless substantial 'reasons be offered to justify the attacks on his, sentiments and conduct. About a fortnight ago' a telegram' was published from England, stating that " the '• Lord Mayor of Londonandothers formed " a deputation to the Earl bf kimberley, " the Colonial Minister, to represent the " desirableness bf consulting the Colonial " authorities m reference to treaties' with ''foreign nations, and establishinga customs " union for the Colonies and the Mother"country;" But' we have ndt received information sufficiently clear, to show the precise views of the deputation. It appears, however, to indicate some idea of a federation of interests. In the speech of Sir iGeorge Grey, delivered- lately at Auckland, it is stated m a leading article of the Evening' Post, Of May 23, that he aauounced, that, " he has a new plan for " remedying some of the existing politi- " cal evils.. He ssvb it is to federate the " Empire, and he "will bring forward a " resolution of that character m tbe Asse mbly at the next session." Kow, there may be much wisdom m the "plan," ana I shall be glad if we have not to wait too long for its development at tbe approaching meeting of our- legislators ; as, I may say, that, for 'many years^ I have believed a federation of the' Mother-country and her Colonies to be essential to their mutual health and prosperity. As, however, the inadequacy of "the : information given hitherto by .Sir.GeOrge Grey, and the vagueness which is connected with the announcement from London are correspondingly unsatisfactory, we must wait, with as much patience as we can realize for the proposed remedy of "existing evils.''' ' : t It is evident that there is a growing conviction m the public mind, ooth at home and here, that the relations between the Mother-country and her Colonies are unsatisfactory ;_ aDd, it behoves, an enlightened community to consider the remedies which may be propounded with careful attention, and not brand them with ridicule or contempt until we understand their nature and tendency. If the principle of a federation of the empire be right, it ought to be advocated, and pressed on the Imperial and Colonial legislators. If, on the contrary, it be wrong, let the proposal be' exposed and condemned; but, iv .either case, let reasons, and not abuse, be offered for tbe conflicting views. At present, and for years past, there is and has been a lamentable destitution of general prosperity ,m Great' Britain and ; lreland', both m reference to manufacturing and agricultural pursuits. New Zealand and other Colonies have also suffered' materially, notwithstanding their youthful spirits and strength. There is an immense load of taxation weighing upon the population at Home, which could be borne with comparative ease, if the people were not deprived of their employments and incomes by foreigners, who are allowed to avail themselves of the privileges of the Old Country without charge. Thus, British industry is displaced ; and the labourers at Home, to a large extent, have to be kept m a state of shivering wretchedness at the poor-house, or Isfr dependent on the eleemosynary aid of those who are disposed to grant it. But it is not the laborers only who suffer. Tbeir employers are undersold by tbe cheaper productions of foreign nations, and to a ! serious extent, they are compelled to put tbeir factories on short time, or, let' them entirely stand ; as they cannot afford to sell at as cheap a rate as foreigners, who are not taxed for the British Exchequer; and whose hours of labor are longer than m England ; and whose cost, of living, owing to climatic differences, enable the workpeople of many countries to exist on food which would starve an English operative. Thus, by the free action principle of our legislators, privileges are granted for the benefit of those who exclude from their own markets all the productions of Britain, unless charged with excessive duties, which, if paid, are used for their respective national expenditures, and the mitigation of national burdens which would otherwise press bn their own communities. Now, I would ask, where is the advan-

tage to Britain of encouraging such a system of competitive destruction ? Why permit aliens to British interests to travel on her^g^iytj *M have access to her markets^and'jßyeiy^iubetantial privilege oTfned by citiiens, and nlfrafnTfrom &h§^git^them with any of ok' costs of Uunicipalt4nd national exj^hdithre? (Why iiJthis quasi bounty offered and granted to people of foreign countries byJßritishTlegislatora ? The inhabitants of Grea"t and Ireland have to bear the weight of burdens amounting to upwards of eighty millions sterling for th^^ there" are m .addition, "the -heavy costs of municipal arid' sanitary rates. l How 7 long is this disordered state-of things -to" "continue ? Is patriotism lost m the legislative Councils at' Henoch oir crushed only for a time by a school of politicians tbat would be icouted.ln. any other nation ? Was it not predicted and affirmed by Messrs.- Gpbdenr andi, Brigfc^jndrrt heir coadjutors^ more than thirty years ago, that other nations -woMd follow the example of the£ libend" policy ofEngland, and abandon their tariffs against her productions > ; Hare 3&&3pr^dlc?iSns been realized? Not m one instance! On the the- contrary,, except m the treaty which' was made with JFrance^ soke ten years ago, when it was stipulated that she should charge only dnkinmuni duty' of ten 'per cent, ad valoremjohp certain -British manufactures, which= wete jMiithsn «ipposed to interfere muchi^rith French industry, on condition that French manufactures and products shonld enter England is nowexpiring, and you may read iifljßcenttelegrams thit-theiFntnelfkre even objecting to. its renewal, _ en the groiyid that it is' nbt sufficientlj^proteetrvd to their interests!., Jn f other insUnceTStd countries, the duties levied agajustJßflitibh and Irish 1 manufactures haVe been increased by dezree~s7*during ibe-lasj ten or twenty years, to an .extent whicli is almost prohibUoryJ. :^_Let l nic, refer to America, inhabfteaMiy^ a people of like lineage to ourselves, d She^asjfojroiferly one ofthe best markets 7 for the productions of Britain ; but-for years past she has levied heavy duties against them* and is making rapid and lengthy, strides to;supply m full her own want*.' f:H she not flouiiS|iing m her material-interests ? Do we receive from/her newsxof impoverishment and woe, as we -do— from Home ? Are not thousands and Tteqs of thousands leaving the land, of their birth, and flocking to the shores-of-America, not to find a better sr more genial) r ,climate /ilhan at Home, , but. , T tp procure the* necessaries of life P : Do not the authorities there welcome every arrival, and proclaim the worth oJL each, imnigrant to be "at least " £100 to the" States"?" - Either the system . adopted, there is right or wrong. It is as different to the system adopted m England as white is ts black. If it be right m any manner, why do the British legislators sta^d so ;eompletely aloof from it ? ILit be wrong, how is it .that America is , progressing, so .unnre* cedentedly, and Great' Britain and Ireland groaning piteously under their "'deprivations and sorrows!, and causing'' an exodus of their inhabitants to an extent never known before ? the. aphorism, Quos Deus,,yult, perdet-e. prius^ ]$ementat, is not to be made applicable to the executive of our glorious o|a cb'nntry 1 ? If the mutual interest's bfbrir fatherland and her colonies - and dependencies^ were considered and promoted aright, as-,belong-ing to one people or jtamily;. if,thejirod uctipns of Great Britain ;»nd 7 jtreland were 'admitted to »l!he tblohies' Without ddty; or with a small duty, for fiscal purposes, ■ and. : the productions, off the colonies continued to be admitted free, to the markets at Home, whilst the productions of foreign" countries were charged with suitable duties; similar to those they [impose on our. exports to them, there would be a diminution of the burdens imposed en the people JatJ Home, anil a demand would arise" in' bur colonies for their natural productions, which Would caused eroploymeiit/and prosperity fo take the place of poverty and discontent. What objection can be urged againbj such a course ?~ -New-Zealandrand-bther Colonies are now neacer r to the fj seat,of Government m London, m reference Ho a rapid interchange of sentiments by telegraphic arrangements, than many towns m England j$ ere a; few years ago. Why should not the, colonies be represented personally l in 'the Imperial Legislature ?, Colonial -.representatives could now more readily' receive instructions from their respective-- Governments m far less time, ,, than many niembers of Parliament could formerly 'cbmmiinieate with their almost neighboring; constituents. When the land at Home becomes too crowded with human ■ tSreeaJ- why should they not be allowed to, transplant themselves to these other and c'lihies-belo'nginW to the same mother-country, and guardea from foreign aggressjon by the same watchful power and care', 'and admitted to a federal compact made ifor the benefit ef the whole Empire ? By such a compact there would "Be ~ i~c6mmunity "of interests,, (between y John Bf ll[ and .his family m distant lands, and an encouragement would be given ts loyal .attachment to the institutions of our common country, which Would impart a governmental ' power which 'no' faafiohToii earth could equal or treat with indifference and injustice. If we look at the immense exteu t; of the •Imperial -; dependencies ia India, Canada,, Australia, New .Z^and, the Cape, the West Indies, and^lwr territories m every quarter of tbe g'fi^y we, shall find that, there is scarcely, a thing consumed m Great Britain, which could not be extensively and profitably produced m her chlbnies dependencies. „ Tbe various branches of the Empire should call aloud .for 'something more uniting and binding than a mere name ; and the people at home and here ought to be satisfied with the platitudes oi Lord Kimberley, or any other Minister, that he is " pleased at receiving so " important a deputation, and will always! '• be glad to listen to suggestions affecting " tbe national interests, froa» gentlemen "acquainted with colonial affairs," Aa, All these sayings bave been stereotyped ' for a series. of years. r These is . nothing -fresh m the sentiment, nor much change, m the words; The words -are uttered with tbe suavity of a gentlemanly Minister, and the meeting ends. The deputation return to their quarters, and give an account of the interview ahd cbllo^uy» and then retire to their clubs for-refresh-ment. It is nearly all toss et proeteera nihil. I fear the risk of being thought too prolix m my remarks: I hive yet a gcod deal to say; but am afraid to intrude

further,'aT present, on your atteption and space. I >wilt a"d&;' however, that it would' be well to perinit-Sii* George Grey tb unfold his panacea for T existing, ills before further deriding, him; and, ltt<ius],bppej that there may J be more virtue m his "new plan," than. jwe might expect a " political' charlatan,!' „ which the editor ofthe Evening Post, iM W^courteously himto.be. TJ '.' " M - r , C. Wai.aß« r Palmerston North, ' J ' ; Saturday, June 4. . ..,, Jy