The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. SATURDAY, DEC. 1, 1894.

Waikato Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 3501, 1 December 1894, Page 8

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

SATURDAY, DEC. 1, 1894.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political.

So long a time has elapsed since Earl Grey ceased to take an active part in the administration of the affairs of the nation that his death, which took place last month at the great age of 92, has caused little comment at this side of the world. Except to the students of modern history the part he took in moulding the colonies is unknown. This must be accepted as the reason. The works ot groat men live after them. The colonies are a monument to the foresight of the deceased statesman. It was he who secured for the colonies the self-governing constitutions which they enjoy, It is interesting note at this period in their history, now that reciprocity of trade between them and the Mother Country is largely discussed, that the Bill granting the constitu-

tions, as drawn in the first instance l>y Earl Grey, control of the tariff was reserved. It was he who first recognised that the colonies should no longer be treated as existing solely for the benefit of Great Britain, an idea which was given recognition to by the imposition of differential duties. He it was who pointed out that the colonies should be maintained for two main reasons. The first that responsibility attached to the acquisition of territory, and the second that the power and influence of the nation depended upon the holding of large colonial possessions in all parts of the world. There was a " small England party" in those days as now, but there were then wanting the facts which now render that party unpatriotic and ridiculous in the eyes of the great majority, who are gifted with larger souls and greater power of logical deduction from the facts before them. These facts were largely the creation of the deceased statesman, and to him history must accord the credit. With results before them, historians may point out that however right the idea was in its conception that it was prematurely acted upon. The mistakes which the legislatures of the colonies have made will afford a very strong peg indeed upon which to hang the allegation. The fact will be noted that enormous territories were handed over to their management, ceded to the people there resident free of all cost, and that the result of some fifty years of almost uncontrolled power has been that nearly all are in monetary difficulties and are whipping the cat for past extravagances, Nearly all have sold slices of their birthright and treated the proceeds as current revenue, and are contemplating legislation which shall deprive the purchasers of the benefits of their investments which were made at the earnest solicitation of those who have held the reins. Each Ministry has either pointed with pride to the area of country purchased pder their regime, or has been taunted with incapacity because they had not disposed of more. Earl Grey was a strong advocate of absolute free, trade between Great Britain and the colonies. This has been the case on one side, but on the other not only has revenue been mainly raised by Customs duties on the manufactures of' Great Britain but some sections of the Empire have imposed duties with the view of excluding them from the territories over which they held sway. The conditions of these countries today, consequent upon attempting to build up industries, for which they are naturally unfitted, or too immature to prosecute successfully, can be accepted as just punishment for their ingratitude, and evidence of the wisdom of Earl Grey. Victoria, the greatest sinner, is the greatest sufferer, and the Premier only two or three days back declared from his seat in Parliament"that the country was on the verge of bankruptcy, arid that unless his ingenuity in devising new taxes were approved it would be compulsory to put up the shutters and call a meeting of the national creditors. The opinion of Earl Grey expressed at the time freedom was granted to the colonies, bears upon another question which is prominent just now. He then stated that when England no longer attempted to levy a commercial tribute, or to interfere immediately in their internal affairs she had a right to expect that they should take upon themselves a larger proportion than heretofore of the expenses incurred for their advantage. The power to compel this was voluntarily given away, and until very recent years nothing was done iu this direction, and then not from a sense of right, but from the fear that their own safety was in jeopardy. This may not be pleasant reading for colonials, but the statement is nevertheless incontrovertible. The colonies may be said to have come of age and entered upon the duties of life when constitutions were granted to them, and are now -too old and strong to be birched, and other means are being used to bring thorn to a sense of their duty and responsibilities, Closer federation, which means the doing of these things, is the remedy being agitated. If they are too old to be birched, they are also too old to be asked to subscribe funds in the

expenditure of which they are to have no voice. Taxation without representation is bad political economy, whether applied to individuals or to the constituent parts of an empire. The British Parlia* ment has devoted some years to the discussion as to whether the Empire should be disrupted by the granting of Home Rule to Ireland; it is surely quite time now that her statesmen and public men should devote their best energies to devising a system which shall unite all parts of the Empire. The end to be aimed at is clear—representation, It is useless to discuss the questionupon any other basis.