A.—No. IA,

54

DESPATCHES FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE

South Australia, now assembled in Melbourne, having had under our consideration the Despatch of Lord Kimberley dated the 13th July, 1871, have agreed to a joint Memorandum in reference to that Despatch. We are of opinion that the right of the Legislatures of these Colonies to direct and control their fiscal policy as amongst themselves, without interference on the part of Her Majesty's Ministers in England, is a right which it is our duty to assert and maintain. We desire that the connection between the mother country and her offspring in this part of the world should long continue ; and we emphatically repudiate all sympathy with the views of those who, in the Imperial Parliament and elsewhere, have expressed a wish that the bonds which unite us should be severed. As members of the British Empire, the relations of which with other countries are conducted by the Imperial Government, we deny that any treaty can be properly or constitutionally made which directly or indirectly treats these Colonies as foreign communities. With the internal arrangement of the Empire, whether in its central or more remote localities, foreign countries can have no pretence to interfere; and stipulations respecting the trade of one part of the Empire with another, whether by land or sea, are not stipulations which Foreign Governments ought to be allowed to become parties to in any way. The article in the treaty with the Zollverein, to which Lord Kimberley refers, is, therefore, one from the obligations of which we should claim to be considered free, if it were interpreted so as to prevent these Colonies from imposing differential duties as between themselves and foreign countries. By the agreement made between Victoria and New South Wales in 1867, free trade across or by way of the River Murray was established; and free trade between these Colonies by sea, as well as by land, might at that time, with equal propriety, have been established, had it been thought expedient. Nothing, that we are aware of, has since occurred to call for or justify any interference with a similar arrangement between the same or other Colonies. It is of great importance that a cordial understanding should at all times prevail amongst these Colonies, and to that end nothing can be more conducive than a free interchange of their products and manufactures as amongst themselves. We all agree that efforts should be made in our respective Legislatures to provide, at as early a period as practicable, for this mutual freedom of trade; but we at the same time assert the right of the Colonies we respectively represent to impose such duties on imports from other places, not being differential, as each Colony may think fit. In conclusion, we agree that copies of this Memorandum shall be transmitted, through the Governors of our respective Colonies, to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Signed at Melbourne, this 27th day of September, a.d. 1871. James Maktin, ""] Attorney-General and Premier, Geo. W. Lobd, I ew gouth Wales Colonial Ireasurer, i Joseph Dockek, | Postmaster-General, J J. M. Wilson, 1 Colonial Secretary and Premier, V Tasmania. James Dunn, M.L.C., John Hart, ~\ Treasurer and Premier, William Milne, > South Australia. Chief Secretary, W. Morgan, M.L.C., ' J

B. The Resolutions in reference to Intercolonial Tariffs, as agreed to by the Delegates from New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia, und Victoria. The Delegates from the Governments of New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia, and Victoria, in Conference assembled, having had under their consideration Lord Kirnberley's Circular Despatch of the 13th July, 1871, have unanimously adopted the following Resolutions :— Ist. That the Australian Colonies claim to enter into arrangements with each other, through their respective Legislatures, so as to provide for the reciprocal admission of their respective products and manufactures, either duty free or on such terms as may be mutually agreed upon. 2nd. That no treaty entered into by the Imperial Government with any Foreign Power should in any way limit or impede the exercise of such right. 3rd. That Imperial interference with intercolonial fiscal legislation should finally and absolutely cease.