Intercolonial Free Trade.

In the month of June this subject was revived by a communication from the Chamber of Commerce, Hobart Town, transmitting copies of Acts of the Legislatures of Tasmania and New Zealand, to facilitate the establishment of Free Trade between the colonies; the Chamber gave their best consideration to the suggestions, but holding the Free Trade views which the Chamber does, it appeared to them that the proper mode of ensuring Intercolonial Free Trade would be by extending the Free List of each colony, so as to admit all articles which are produced in either colony, free of duty. Any scheme which should continue to impose duties on such articles when imported from Great Britain or else- page 44v where, while relieving them of duty when imported from other Colonies, it appeared to your Committee, is rather Intercolonial Protection than Intercolonial Free Trade. The following reply was therefore made to the communication from the Chamber of Commerce, Hobart Town:—