INTERVIEW WITH THE HON. JOHN KIDD.

Evening Post, Volume XLVII, Issue 59, 10 March 1894, Page 4

INTERVIEW WITH THE HON. JOHN KIDD.

+ An Evening Pobt representative had a chat with the Hon. John Kidd, the New South Wales reproßontative at the rocent Postal Conference, and who is PofltmasterGjnoral of his colony. Ab to tho practical results of tho Conforenoe, Mr. Kidd is of opinion that if the concurrence of Canada and tho Imperial authorities can bo secured, the NPaoißoN PaoiBo cable will bo an accomplished fact vory soon. Both Samoa and tho Sandwich Inlands, through which the proposed oablo would pass, have mado overtures to tho Hon. Audloy Coote for the construction of a cable, and Mr. Cooto is now on his way out to Australia for the pu' poso of submitting a Boheme. A obiof objection to Mr. Sandford Fleming's proposals was tho long circuit from Vancouver to Fanning Island involved, some 4000 milos. This necessitated a oable of twice tho usual weight and thickness, not only largoly increasing the cost in the first instance, but greatly inoreaaing the difficulty of picking it up to repair breakages, while with so long a circuit only about twelve words a minute could be sent, instead of some 22 as on tho ordinary ocean cable The longest circuit under Mr. Ward's proposals will be somo 2000 miles. Mr. Kidd differed very much from the proposal of tho Conforenoo that the question of frozen produco carriage should be mixed up with the mail contracts, and he does not think that the Imperial authorities will allow it to enter into the contracts. As to the proposed Tariff Conference, Mr. Kidd thinks that a beginning should bo madn by getting all the colonial delegates to the Canadian Conference together in Sydney or Melbourne, and there agreeing on tho lino of action to bo taken in Canada. Ho points out that tho whole of Australasia would only havo proportionately ono vote at that Conference, as against ono for tho whole of Canada, and it is thereforo important that tho Australasian delegates should agroo amongst thomselvos beforehand. In tho Postal Union, for instanco, Auatralaßia lias only ono voice. It would bn a groat mistake to send delogates who will not havo arrivod at a mutual understanding of what should be advocated in the intorests of these colonies/ Mr. Kidd docs not think that tho prospects of Federation are bright just now, or that as much interest is taken in tho subject as at the time of the Fedeial Conference, but he .believes that a Trade Federation, with a common tariff and protection against outsiders, would be popular, and tint a Bill to givo effect, to this would pass in bia colony. The border electorates of tho various colonies are very muoh inconvenienced by the present tariff arrangements, and they would support any form of Federation that would afford relief, but the romnindor of the electorates would not, he thinks, go beyond a Customs Union. Mr. Kidd thinks that fiscal questions will not bo so muoh considered in the coming New South Wales oleetions as personal character and tho Temperance question. In New South Wales three Magistrates, nominated by tho Government, form tho Licensing 1 Xlonoh in eaoh district, and the Temporanco Party are agitating for local option. The Prohibitionists are vory few in number, and tho Temperance Party of New South Wales is, Mr. Kidd thinks, moderate in its demands. It merely asks for the passing of a looal Option BUI which would loavo the question in the bauds of the electors, who would be able to vote for the prevention of new houses and tho reduction of existing lioensoB. Mr. Kidd had a Local Option Bill before the last Parliament which proposed to allow these questions to be decided by a bare majority of electors voting, but it was lost -because it contained no provision for compensation. Mr. Kidd believes that had it provided for "time compensation" like the Imperial Bill, it would have passed. It proposed to allow a poll on petition of 10 per cent, of the eleotora on the roll, and the vote was to be taken for increase, reduction, or prohibition. He intends to introduce his Bill again with time compensation. Mr. Kidd belioveß that tho elections will result in an inoroaso of the Labour members, and says that this should bo so as the Labour members have proved themselves quite up to the averago of tho House.