COLONIAL RECIPROCITY.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9603, 18 December 1896, Page 5

COLONIAL RECIPROCITY.

MB SEDDON'S PROPOSED CONFERENCE. Press Association—By Telefjraph—Copyright Sydney, December 17. Referring to Mr Seddon's proposed conference, the Telegraph says that as j New Zealand is not even now a participant in the Federal movement, and, in fact, avowedly means to keep aloof from it, there is no earthly reason why the Premiers on this side of the Tasman sea should raake long trips across to try and arrange a scheme for business relations which the New Zealand Premier desires to have established, and which in the very remote event of anything at all of the kind being done, would probably have to be declared off if Federation came about, because whatever the fiscal policy of Australia might be, it is very unlikely indeed that it would provide for special tariff concessions to an unfederated colony, and in any case the subject would have to be gone into again de novo. What ther9 is to be gained by the Conference that New Zealand would benefit by as a matter of fact is very little. Experience shows that under the most favourable conditions reciprocal colonial trade relations would be difficult to establish because so many hostile interests are represented in the Parliaments which have to endorse the scheme, and because they are difficult to sustain when established, but if Mr Seddon has anything to say or propose, and if no Conference will suit him that is not held practically within his own lines, he can write. There is no harm in discussing the idea. On the contrary good may result in the form of the education of the people of New Zealand on the subject of federation.