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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9322, 27 March 1889, Page 4

The danger of a war of tariffs amongst the colonies, instead of Federation, is seen in an article published by the Sydney Daily Telegraph, and a portion of which is transmitted by cable. The Telegraph contends that the Government of New South Wales should not

go to any expense in connection with the Dunedin Exhibition, on the grounds that it is time expenditure on exhibitions. was stopped, that New South Wales will not reap any advantage, and that New Zealand has not treated them well with respect to their only export which we take, namely, coal. It says that " in the near future that article is pretty certain to be shut out of New Zealand altogether in favour of Westport and Russell coal."' Various attempts have been made to put a prohibitory duty on coal in the interest of the local owners of coalmines, but we doubt whether these ever will be successful. We believe that the interests here which would be affected detrimentally by coal being raised in price are far more extensive thAn those which might be benefited, so that a tax on coal is not likely ever to be imposed. But the statements made by the Telegraph show that a feeling of irritation is growing up in New South Wales. They always take a large amount of produce from us, and this season have received an enormous quantity, and they are annoyed because of the constant threat that we are to shut out the only article they give us in exchange. But they have no right to assume that we are "pretty certain" to shut out their coal. They should wait till action is taken by a hostile tariff. New South Wales must please itself as to whether it will exhibit at Dunedin, but it is absurd that it should decline to send because of something which we have not done yet.