COLONY AND COMMONWEALTH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7295, 7 January 1902, Page 2

COLONY AND COMMONWEALTH.

If any New Zealand politicians .still cherish a hope that this colony may yet be able to establish reciprocal commercial relations with the Australian, Commonwealth, their last remnant of 'belief will surely be shattered by the remarks made by Mr B. R. Wise to a representative of this paper. Mr Wise has had many opportunities of calculating Australian opinion on this question. For years he has been in the very forefront of New Soutdu Wales politics. Nearly twenty years have passed since, as a younig mnaaii, (fresh >fromi an English University, he entered the political arena as a private member. He quickly won a reputation, which he enhanced afterwards when he became a Minister of the Crown. At the present moment he is Attorney-General in the "New South Wales Cabinet. Mr Wise's long political career has affordsd; himi opportunities of gauging not only the temper of the public, but -'allso the views of his brothel* legislators, and therefore his verdict that New Zealand cannot hope for a reciprocity treaty with Australia may be taken as convincing proof of the fatuity of climgiing to such a hope. We fully agree with Mr Wise that the Federal tariff has* in no way been aimed at New Zealand; but stones sometimes hit where they are not actually aimed, and whether intentionally or not, the Federal tariff has hit this colony hard. But public opinion alters with years, and the time may come when 'the Australians may change their minds, and grant what they appear bent on withholding now. In the meantime it will 'be the duty of this coldny to cultivate the most amicable understanding possible with the Commonwealth. Both are members of the same family and units of the same Empire, and both have much in. common. Although, the one may not desire federation with the other, and commercial reciprocity between the two may be vetoed by public ■opinion, in the Commonwealth, it does not follow that the two countries cannot work in harmony on many points of mutual interest. As a matter of fact they can, and we have good reason for hoping that they will.