CORRESPONDENCE.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10265, 7 February 1899, Page 6

CORRESPONDENCE.

FEDERATION. TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS.

Sir, —It is astonishing the apathy that is manifested over this important question by our Government and commercial men, a question which, commercially, means life or death to our colony. Anything that affects our fanners must affect the whole commercial interests.

Let us enumerate tiie principal articles that are exported to Australia, also showing the duties mat will have to be paid if we do not federate. Our principal exports to Australia are oats, barley, mail, potatoes, onions, Hour, bran, cheese, butter, bacou, woollens. If the duties after federation are based on the present Victorian tariff they will stand thus:—Oats Is 2d per bushel, barley Is 6d per bushel, malt 4s 6d per bushel, potatoes 20s per ton, onions 20s per ten, flour £5 per ton, bran £5 per ton, cheese 2d per lb, butter 2d per lb, bacon 2d per lb, woollens 50 per cent. Now, .. New Zealand stands out it is quite evident that our exports must cease, as it would be impossible to compete with Tasmania. Since the duties have been taken off butter, cheese, and bacon, New South Wales has taken ten times the quantity, which proves the advantages that would be gained to New Zealand if all the colonies admitted our goods free. Then,' again, take the woollen industry; what an immense future hes before us if our tweeds were admitted free while English and German were dutiable.

I think, sir, it is high time our commercial men stirred themselves in this matter, and the Government should be approached as to know what tlieir intentions are. Small fanners can shut up if we lose our Australian trade. —Yours, _c, G. S. JAKINS.