The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1893.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 9670, 12 April 1893, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1893.

The Hon. J. G. Ward, the PostmasterGeneral, when addressing a meeting at Brisbane, the other day, made some very pertinent remarks on the question of reciprocity between the colonies. When Mr Ward went on his mission in connection with the Postal Union, he also carried with him a project of the present Ministry for the establishing of an Australian Customs Union, on a basis of inter-colonial freetrode. The Hon. Mr Ballance has always held views that the colonio3 could set up ' a Zollverein or Customs Union, without saddling themselves with the formalities of constitutional federation ; and he was further backed in this opinion by a resolution passed at the Agricultural Conference in Christchurch last year requesting tho New Zealand Government to make arrangements for an inter-colonial Conference, for the purpose of considering the important question of exchange of colonial prodncts free from the trammels of Protective duties. When tho question of Austialian Federation wa3 being discussed in Sydney, some three or four years ago, it wa3 pointed out that inasmuch as inter-colonial Freetrade would almost bo sure to follow, it would be very much to tho interest of New Zealand to join in the Federation. Our delegates then nrged that intercolonial Froetrade should not bo made depandent on the the colonies agreeing to be politically federated, and it was shown that New Zealand was not in a position financially to throw its lot in with the movement. Inter colonial freetrade would, we think, be greatly to the advantage of New Zealand jiroducers, although perhaps the manufacturers of Victoria and New South Wales would interfere, .and displace many articles of our local make. Our exports to all the colonies of Australia in 1889 amounted to £2,086,117, and our imports from Australia to £1,065,438. The record of 1890 showed a considerable falling off ; but' that of 1891 a still greater one. The exports to Australia of New Zealand produce in 1891 was £1,660,333, and imports fr0m £978,257, It may bo mentioned, however, that New South Wales and Victoria took between cheni £1,522,052, whilst the other three colonies had the remainder. Owing to the protective duties in Australia our trade with Sydney and Molhourne lias been dwindling down to a very small amount, and it is, therefore, timo to sco if some steps cannot be taken to facilitate trade with those places. It must be admitted that we arc to a largo extent independent of Australia and her products, and that tho balanco-of-trado is always likely to bo in tho future as in the past, in our favour. It 13 true with intercolonial Freetrade wo may take a littlo more timber, a littlo moro wine, aud a little moro coal, and more of the manuafactures of those colonies , bat (here can be no doubt in return '

vre ffhould send away a great deal more butter, cheese, potatoes, and oats. The question is, therefore, one in which producers are mainly interested, and we are glad to see that the PostmasterGeneral is taking up the matter whilst he is in Australia. We gather from the papers that Sir J. Downer announced at tha meeting this matter was referred to, that Tasmania and Victoria werei a favour of the movement ; and information has since been received that the New South Wales and Queensland Governments are also likely to join in the proposed Zollveroin. There are no practical difficulties in inter-colonial Freetrade, and we hope to see3t brought about. ' '■•*»'**

His Honor Justice Conolly'a associate is MrColbeck. An inebriate was fined 5s and costs 2a in the Police Court this (Wednesday) morning. Mr J. R. Chattertoa has a now advertisement in another column, to which Attention is directed. It will be seen by an advertisement in another column that the wholo of the stock of drapery, &a, at the Cash Palace is about to bo removed to Mr 11. Wane's 6hop in Brougham street, whore a clearing salo will bo held. Messrs J Attrill and \V. Hammond, both af whom are well-knowa in. local cricketing circles, leave for tho Old Country by direct steamer from Lytlelton at the end of text week. , ,- Two Wellington Counsel, Messrs Jellicoe and Skorrett, who aro engaged in cas s at the present sessions of the Supreme Court, arrived here on Tuesday, I The Government st auier Stella has been put up to auction at Wellington, and withdrawn at £1250. I The R.M, on Tuesday afternoon granted to Carol ne Him Wing Kee, of Mid hirst, a married woman"B protection order, she to have tho custody of the three children till each is ten years old, the husband to pay 5s a week towards the maintenance of the children and to pay costs of the "case, £5 6s. Mr Kerr appeared for complaint- nt, an-1 Mr Hughes for Him Wing kee. This case had been adjourned after hearing evidence, so that the form of the ordor might be agreed upon. " : " There is another man missing- The Hawera Star says :— " A largo search party was out on Sunday, looking for Mr W, Sutton, but when darkness came on they had met with no success. It Is stated that, on Friday morning, his eon, eight years of age, called out to his mother that he saw him at the far side of the creek which runs at the back of the house, and that as soon as he called out he Bays liis father started running. He could not bo shaken in his statement, but when several of thoso who were there ran out and took the direction indicated by tbe child they could fin Ino trace of him. A reward of £10 is offered for the diecovery (dead or alive) of the missing man."

A rather amusing incident occurred at': a meeting of the Woman's Franchise League in Auckland the other day. There was some .ifficulty to get anyone to under take the duly of secretary. Mrs Rattray said tliero was a difficulty in getting a young lady to take the post, because it was thought if they identified themselves too much with women's franchise they would cot get married. Mrs Eitson was asked to take the office, but she declined, saying that the last words '■ somebody " had eaid when going out to business that morning was, "Mind, don't take the fiecretaryship." The president .thought if they got a middle-aged unmarried person it would bo well, but none of the single women present would admit they were "middle aged." We presume that tho league had to fall back on one of the male species to do the work. The league is not a very strong one numerically, for it only consists of 101 members, who would be far better attending to their homes than in making a laughing-stock of themselves'

Mr Longhaired Teetotal Smith, who delights in adding Tennyson to his name, has proved no more popular in Auckland than he did in New Plymouth. At a meeting of tho New Zealand Alliance hold in Auckland the other day, which was very pooily attended, ho tried to force an election of officers, but was opposed by most of thoso present. An old lady in tho back seats ]took comp ssion on Mr Smith and eaid :— " She felt deeply sorry for the way in which ' poor Mr Tennyson Smith' had been treated in Auckland," and then sho subsided. Mr Smith replied that as iho old laHy said it was a disgrace to the people of Auckland for tho manner in which he had been treated. He had lost £70 on his fortnight's mission, end no one offered to help Lini defray it. Ho could command alino&t any figure ho liked for hi* lectures in England. (A. voice : " But it is quite a different thing to be obeyed") Hib poor wife's health had beon greatly improved by her residence in New Zealand, but the last fortnight's cold and ungenerous treatment had quite undone tho good work. He himself was suffering in health fiom it. He hid been villified by the press and "Only a Woman," Tho writor of that letter — whom he believed was a certain so-called temperance man — should bo ki'.-kcd out of any society. He had lectured through tho colony for the past year at his ownct~ar.es, giving as many as seven lectures a week, and yot on arrival in Auckland the people to whom he looked tor support had treated him in this shame* ful manner— the Now Zealand Alliance conspicuously so. '