THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1891.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 72, 26 March 1891, Page 4

THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1891.

Jf the power and resources of the colonists of Newfoundland were only

equai to their aspirations, there is no doubt those high-spirited people would quickly cut the Gordion knot and free themselves by one bold stroke from the embarrassing position in which they are placed. Newfoundland is one of the most insignificant of the colonies in wealth and population, but if it has not the wisdom of a Nestor, it has ambitions and pretensions which are more in accordance with its own estimate of its importance than with the insignificant position assigned to it by the rest of the world. A short time ago the Newfoundland Legislature assumed a belligerent attitude and passed a vote of censure on the British Government, charging it with showing an utter disregard to the wellbeing of the colony. The Imperial authorities managed to survive the blow, which seems to have been administered because England refused to ratify a treaty of reciprocity between Newfoundland and the United States, and declined to endorse the policy of the colonists with regard to the muchvexed fisheries question. There was no original relation between the two questions, but they have both served to increase the disaffection in Newfoundland. There can be no doubt

that in concluding a treaty with a neighbouring nation on its own authority the Newfoundland Legislature exceeded its powers, and the tariff difficulties which would necessarily be involved undoubtedly influenced the Imperial authorities in disallowing it. The movement seems also to have been invested with a. political significance meant as a dark hint to England that the disaffected colony might cut the painter if no other satisfactory solution of its difficulties could be suggested; but during the last feyv weeks all subsidiary grievances have been merged in the ever-recurring fisheries dispute, the settlement of which seems likely to tax the . ingenuity of the high contracting powers to the utmost. •

So far as the colonists are concerned, there is not much doubt about their sentiments. They would like to have their fishing stations to themselves, and to send the French fishermen packing with very scant ceremony. As the population increases, racial antipathies to foreigners residing on tbe coast, and pursuing a profitable fishing industry, become more pronounced. The colonists look chiefly to their own interests, and this narrow view of the subject, although natural under the circumstances, is apt to make them overlook the justice of claims which come into competition with their own. Then, again, the question is complicated by the introduction of side issues. By the Treaty of Utrecht the French retained certain rights on a part of the Newfoundland coast, and those rights were further defined and secured at the close of the last century. But the definition is not so clear as to cover the whole of the present contention. The original agreement gave the French fishermen the right to catch and cure cod under certain conditions, but another element in the dispute, which has been noticed in the telegrams lately, is whether the treaty includes lobster-fishing and canning. These industries were not in vogue when the original agreement was drawn up. The safest, if not the quickest solution of the problem would seem to be to submit the question to disinterested arbitration. This plan of settling the fisheries dispute was agreed to by France and England, who wished in the meantime to continue the modus vivendi for another year. Such pacific measures were not, however, suited to the fiery-spirited colonists, and they have boiled over in a furious torrent of indignation which can only complicate matters, and add to the difficulties of the Imperial authorities in settling the dispute.

The latter, however, instead of being intimidated by the menacing attitude of the colonists, have intimated plainly that they intend to stand no nonsense. The move to introduce a Bill into the Imperial Parliament for carrying- outthe arrangement with Francehas thrown Newfoundland legisUtoM into aparOxyism of fury compared with which their former ebullitions were mildness itself. The introduction of the Bill has been deferred, but the Premier of Newfoundland is distinctly told that unless the local Legislature deals with the obnoxious measure, the matter will be taken out of itshands. Sir Julius Vogel has stepped upon the scene with a proposal that Great Britain should subsidise the Newfoundland fishermen, and thus enable them to compete on fairer terms with the French lobster fishers who have bounties granted by their Government. It is doubtful whether the Newfoundland people would be satisfied with such an arrangement. They would, no doubt, prefer that the French rights should be purchased, and fishing exclusively confined to the colonists. It is improbable that a high-spirited people like the French would cede rights of which they are peculiarly tenacious, and if not, the next best thing for the colonists to obtain such an exact definition of those rights as will prevent collision in future.