Sir John Hall on Federation and the Taviff.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4979, 11 April 1889, Page 3

Sir John Hall on Federation and the Taviff.

The Pall Mall Qazeiie has been interview ing Sir John Hall, the ex-Premier, on those subjects. He approves of Federation for defensive purposes such as are now being entered upon, and deplores Queensland s obstinacy in declining to join the league. If England were to become involved in war, Sir John thinks the colonies would act loyally—i.e.y unless the quarrel arose out of a purely European question. Then they might possibly feel the burden of war over a matter m which they wore in no way concerned a grievance. Sir John thinks the colonics would not care about a Parliament of Agcnts-General in London, and dismisses the possibility of fiscal federation as a dream. “An excellent suggestion, 11 added Sir John, “is that in both the colonies and the Mother Country a small Customs duty, say 2 or 3 per cent., should ho charged on all foreign goods in excess of what might bo charged on similar goods from the Mother Country and colonics ro;pcctively. The proceeds of this extra duty, which would be a largo sum could be applied to increase the defences of the Empire generally. It would bo ample for the purpose. I should like to see this plan adopted, but I presume there is no pope ( of it so long as the English people their worship of absolute Freetfado." • “ You must,” ho said, “ leave the polonies an entirely free hand in the matter o.f their own Customs tariffs. In Zealand wo I are, as regards manufacfitires, in the same position as England was one hundred years ago. Then England’s policy was Protectionist ; when we arrive at something like the manufacturing skill and experience England of to-day wo may think of ircotrade. In the first place' we must raise a

considerable revenue by means of our Customs, and secondly we want to develop New Zealand manufactures. It is all very well for people in England to argue the suitability of Freetrado from the present English point of view, but if you lived in New Zealand you would admit the absolute necessity for considerable Customs duties under our circumstances.” , , v „ “ New South Wales is a freetradmg colony ?” I think it is chiefly the great personal influence of Sir H. Parkes that makes NewSouth Wales c’ing to Freetrade.”