INTERCOLONIAL RECIPROCITY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4120, 4 June 1874, Page 2

INTERCOLONIAL RECIPROCITY.

We published on Tuesday a telegram from Tasmania to the effect that the New Zealand Government had concluded with that Colony an arrangement for the reciprocal admission of certain goods. We are informed that such arrangement lias not been concluded, hut that a circular letter, covering a memorandum approved of in the Executive Council, has been sent by the Colonial Secretary of New Zealand to each of the Australian Governments and Tasmania, suggesting certain products, &c., as those respecting which reciprocal arrangements might be made. We have been permitted to publish the memorandum, -which is as follows : “ The Colonial Treasurer and the Commissioner of Customs of New Zealand have jointly had under their consideration the question of what action, if any, it is desirable to take under the powers accorded by ‘ The Australian Colonics Duties Act, 1873.’ “New Zealand possessed the power of imposing differential duties before that Act was passed ; but inasmuch as similar powers were previously denied to the other Colonies, the Act for tho first time afforded the means to the Australian Colonies of entering into reciprocal arrangements. “ Hitherto, no action has been taken under tho Act. The reason for this apparent indifference to a measure so eagerly sought, is not difficult to discover. Independently of the fact that the earnest desire to obtain a particular power does not necessarily imply that it will bo immediately used, there are reasons, iu the late relations between several of the Colonies iu respect to postal services, border duties, cattle importation, and other questions, which explain why it has not been considered expedient, or likely to be productive of useful results, to earlier press the exercise of the powers conferred by the Act. Even 1 now, though it is well tho subject should be t

ventilated, it is doubtful whether there will speedily be ;my results. “ The Colonial Treasurer and the Commissioner of Customs have, however, come to the conclusion to move the Government to take some action iu respect to the Act. “ Past experience shows that Conferences of the representatives of all the Australasian Colonies lead to misunderstanding's rather than to agreements, ami the Colonial Treasurer and Commissioner of Customs are of opinion that results are more likely to be arrived at by negotiations between different Colonies, than by the more ambitious attempt to devise plans which will be suitable and acceptable to all of them. Indeed, the circumstances of the Colonies arc so different, and the adoption of a common plan would involve so many sacrifices, that the attempt to obtain united action might lead to shelving the measure. On the other hand, any two of the Colonics would he able so to consider their own circumstances, as to make negotiations between them comparatively easy. Any arrangement entered into would probably, as far as circumstances did not compel a difference, lead to other arrangements of a similar nature, so that iu the end there would probably be a nearer approach to a common agreement by separate negotiation than by attempting at the outset to secure such a result. “ Should, however, the other Colonies be of a different opinion, the Colonial Treasurer and Commissioner of Customs think that New Zealand should not stand aloof, but that, on the contrary, she should invite the other Colonies to make this Colony the scene of the Conference. There are reasons, which the other Colonies will perhaps not bo unprepared to allow, why a neutral ground like New Zealand, sufficiently removed from Australia to be free from the territorial prejudices which affect different Governments on one continent, would be suitable for a meeting of the representatives of all the Colonies. “ The Colonial Treasurer and Commissioner of Customs, however, do not suggest that a Conference should be recommended, but merely that, if it should be deemed expedient to hold one, Wellington should be the place of meeting. “ In the meanwhile, it is advised that New Zealand should show itself ready to negotiate with other Colonics. “ To facilitate such negotiations the Colonial Treasurer and Commissioner of Customs have considered the articles about which it is desirable to treat. Any two Colonies desiring to make arrangements would find it the most convenient course to first agree upon the articles which should become the subject of arrangement ; the details of such arrangements would then be arrived at with comparative facility. In the Schedule attached, the Colonial Treasurer and Commissioner of Customs enumerate the articles concerning which they are of opinion it will be desirable to treat. In selecting those articles, they have been guided by various considerations, such as, — “{a.) That they ai-e sufficiently important or useful, or likely to become so, to make it desirable that agreements should be entered into about them. “(7)./That they are not of a nature likely to occasion difficulties by importations of foreign goods being palmed olf as native productions. “(c.) That they are articles which it is so essentially reasonable the Colonies should exchange and be dependent upon each other for, that 'Great Britain and other countries would not be justified in complaining of the arrangements as injurious to their commerce or prejudicial to their interests. “A practice lias grown up in one Colony, if not more, of supplementing Customs duties by heavy wharf dues. As there would be no advantage in the remission of duties if they could be replaced by other burdens, it should be understood that the an-angements made would concern all charges of a direct nature, whether in the shape of Customs duties or wharf or jetty dues. In respect to the latter, it would be easy to agree that they should not exceed a specified rate. “ If approved in Executive Council, this memorandum might bo forwarded to the Government of each of the other Colonies. Some of the articles in the schedule will not be applicable to the circumstances of all the Colonies ; but the general nature of tho luemorandum will sufficiently explain to any Colony so situated, the necessary inclusion. “Julius Vogel, “ William H. Reynolds. “ Schedule. “ Grain of all kinds, flour, malt, hops, ale and porter, Colonial wines, New Zealand flax, timber, jams, butter, bacon, cheese, fish, fruit.”