The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 1889.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 95, 23 April 1889, Page 4

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 1889.

For the cacao, that lacks asaiatanoe, For the -wrong that needs .esisttmca, For the future in She _ls.._noe, And tho goad that we can do.

The Earl of Onslow, in several of his recent public utterances, has alluded to the question of colonial defence, and it is evident from the frequent mention made of this subject in the speeches o f British statesmen when discussing the possibility of Imperial Federation, that co-operation for mutual protection is conceived to be the first practicable step in drawing closer the bonds of unity between the Home country and the colonies. At the last anniversary meeting of the Colonial Institute, the Prince of Wales gave expression to views on this subject which are no doubt very widely entertained in England. He said:

The colonies, I know, are doing all they can for their own protection, but ab the same time they have shown a spirit of attachment to the mother country, and in doing so, to the Imperial interests at large, by having offered during the recent small wars to send troops to assist us in our military operations. (Cheers.) I may allude first to the South Australian contingent, which was offered ab the time of the last Transvaal war. We all remember, arid especially the soldier., who were abroad, that a New South Wales contingent was despatched to the Soudan (cheers), and that offers of assistance i'rom the other colonies were made. A band of voyagenrs was also raised in Canada for service on the Nile on the occasion of the Gordon relief expedition. They served throughout the expedition, and their services were, I know, highly commended by those in command. I may allude, also, to the offer of a Canadian contingent at the time of the Dulcino demonstration. Few subjects have more frequently been under discussion ab tho Institute than that of naval defence, and it is interesting to call to mind that on one occasion when a distinguished and very able colonial statesman, Sir Graham Berry, <rave a lecture on " The Colonies in Relation to the Empire," he urged tha. provision be made for efficient defence. Efficient defence is as essential for the colonies as for Great Britain, and is one of tho conditions for a continuance of the Empire with that loyalty and devotion to the throne and constitution which are among our most prominent characteristics. Our brethren in the colonies have evinced tho fullest appreciation of their responsibilities as citizens of this great Empire and their readiness to contribute to its defence. The land defences of the self-governing colonies have practically been entrusted to the local forces since the gradual withdrawal of the imperial troops, British garrisons only remaining ab Halifax and South Africa. 1 The various local forces of the colonies number about 70,000, and the Royal Military College ab Kingston is a most successful institution. Naval defenc2s rest chiefly on the Imperial navy, but the Australian colonies and Canada have made maritime provision locally. At the Imperial Conference the most important subject under discussion was the organisation of colonial defences, and an agreement was arrived at for an increase of the squadron, tho colonies contributing £126,000 per annum for 10 years. That the colonies do not confine themselves to lr-s.il Cksk- is shown by the despatch of ,__. Australian contingent to the Soudan, an example of patriotic devotion to the interests of the Empire at largo which is fresh in our memories and will never be forgotten.

Now, while it is very pleasant to hear from such a high quarter that the past eiTorts of the colonies are appreciated, and that reliance is placed upon us for greater assistance, if need be, in the future,-the very fact that the colonists are thus more and more actively interesting themselves in the concerns of the Empire should suggest to the minds of British statesmen that the aspirations of the colonies in these directions will never be satisfied by becoming mere taxpaying automatons to be manipulated at pleasure in executing the plans of men over whose actions we have no sort o.f control, and in whose councils _we are debarred from making our voices heard. Colonists are too shrewd and too self-reliant to act for long in any such role. A spasmodic outburst of patriotic national feeling like that which prompted the New South Wales Soudan expedition may occasionally occur ;, but' the Home Gevernment will be grievously misled if they rely upon any sustained help from the colonies in Britain's wars until the colonies have a voice in the moulding of the policy which precedes those wars. And a very large class within the colonies may. be found who. consider it a very debatable question whether the honour of exercising a voice in the councils of the nation would compensate for the risks and burdens which the new functions would entail. Whatever developments the future may bring about, however, in the matter of Federation, there is much more pleasure and profit—much more of permanent good to the Empire-—in utterances like those of the Heir Apparent to the throne quoted above than m the uof«aero«s and abusive tone which we regrefc to see adopted

towards the colonies in this year's issue of that usually well-edited and valuable publication, the Financial Reform Almanac. We had fondly hoped that the party who professed to believe the colonies a useless burden to the Home country was extinct, but it appears that, like the rare specimens of that curious bird, the notornis, which have been found in our back wilds far from human habitation, there are survivals of the old Manchester School who cling with the tenacity of vicious habit to the ancient cult. In the article under notice the " financial reformer " who is responsible for this publication has drawn up two tables—one headed ••What Great Britain Gave the Colonies," the other "What the Colonies Give Great Britain." Under the former heading he treats the land sales in the several colonies from 1879 to 1886, as though they were a gift to the colonies of so much cash by Great Britain, and proceeds : —*• With greater generosity than foresight, or perhaps with little expectation that her colonists would so long resort 0 protection and exclude her merchandise by a wall of high tariffs. Great Britain early conceded to her greater possessions the fee simple of their magnificent territories, though burdening herself with the obligation of their naval and military defences."

The case against New Zealand absolutely fails, inasmuch that, so far as the North Island is concerned, the colonists were simply left to buy the land as best they could from the aboriginal owners, and the process is to this day little more than half accomplished. A sum, insignificant in amount, was, it is true, granted for the acquisition of the Middle Island, but the colonists had thrust upon them very unjustly hy the Imperial Government a heavy debt arising out of the land transactions of the New Zealand Company. And whatever value the lands in these colonies have acquired it has been given to them not by Imperial bounty, but by the industry of the colonists themselves. The Melbourne "Age," in discussing this question, pithily observes :—" So far as regards the Australian colonies', the facts are some thing different. Ail that Great Biitain gave them was a certain number of shiploads of convicts, and the free settlers who followed were left to their own resources to give value to lands which were then worth nothing.'" What the colonies give Great Britain is summarised by this would-be financial reformer thus: " A few fine soldiers for the Soudan campaign, and the following prohibitive scale of duties upon her manufactures and rnerchancise, in order to enrich their rings of governing capitalists, and build up their manufacturing and other monopolies." He is forced to admit later on that the colonies of Australia alone also give to the United Kingdom a yearly trade valued at 100,000, mostly carried in British ships, but he omits to mention that it is chiefly to protect this trade that the naval expenditure against which ' his fulminations are levelled is rendered necessary. He denies utterly any merit to the colonies for the trade itself, but rather credits it to the triumph of the " generous and enlightened policy " of the United Kingdom over the " mean, selfish and foolish tariffs " of the colonies. It is not usually wise policy to abuse a good customer, and the author of this tirade against the colonies presumably represents the commercial interests of the Home country. We advise the leaders of the Reform League to look after him if they desire that their cause shall continue to carry the sympathy of advanced Liberals in these colonies.