212 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Aua., 1899. 
away from us, which would mean the destruction of our industry in tropical 
Queensland, and to pause before you make a leap in the dark. It might not 
be out of place, whatever temporary check there might be to the course of 
federation in the event of Queensland holding back, to see whether the other 
colonies would not make that one little concession—that in the event of 
federation the labour question in Queensland shall not be interfered with, at 
all events for some time to come. 
The Hon. J. V. Coaraway: In summing up the discussion on these 
papers, a discussion which has been limited owing to shortness of time, I should 
like to draw the attention of the Conference to the fact that in discussing 
bounties and countervailing, duties they seem to have lost sight of the most 
striking case of countervailing duties, if such we may call them—namely, the 
action taken by Victoria to protect her interests in Queensland. Victoria 
imposed some years ago a duty on beet sugar, which was double that imposed 
on cane, which is a good deal more than a countervailing duty, and at the 
present day, while oursugars and Mauritiusand Java sugars go into Melbourne 
paying £6a ton duty, sugar from the Continent has to pay £12, which practically 
excludes it. Thatisthe moststriking successful instance of countervailing duties 
that I know of. The question that Captain Henry hasraised about resolutions 
and the Resolutions Committee is not easy to deal with. The chairman of such 
conferences as these should, I think, take the general sense of the meetings, 
and, so far as lies in his power, carry out the wishes of the meeting. Last year 
they came to certain conclusions at Rockhampton, and it was evident that it 
was desired that some legislation should be introduced in connection with weigh- 
bridges. I introduced a measure on the lines suggested at the Conference, and 
it is now law. As for countervailing duties, since last Conference I have been 
in constant communication with Sir Horace ‘Tozer, and I now receive a weekly 
letter from him on this subject, and as many of you are doubtless aware he has 
pushed himself to the very front of the anti-bounty agitation. He is now the 
most prominent man in the anti-bounty league, and there is no man within the 
last nine months who has done more in England towards getting the consumma- 
tion of the wishes of the sugar-growers, and indeed of everybody, than Sir 
Horace Tozer. His speeches are admirable, and his mastery of facts and figures 
have attracted attention throughout all the financial circles in London. ‘Time 
prevents me from saying anything further now on this subject, but I should 
like to mention to those delegates who are interested in the central sugar-mills, 
and in the details of sugar-growing, that they are invited to meet at the Prince 
of Wales Hotel this evening, at 7°30. Those members of the Conference who 
are specially interested in cattle inoculation and the tick question are invited 
to meet at the Good Templars’ Hall, in Sydney street, for a discussion on 
those subjects. In each caxe such officers of the department as have special 
knowledge on these subjects will be present to give such assistance in their 
power as will throw light on the various matters. The discussion that now 
follows is: “How will the agricultural interests of Southern Queensland be 
affected by the adoption by the colony of the Commonwealth Bill?” I draw 
the attention of members to the limitation of the subject of discussior to the 
agricultural interests of Southern Queensland, and I define that expression t0 
mean the interests of wheat-growers, potato and maize-growers, and those who 
are engaged strictly in agriculture of temperate districts as opposed to the 
tropical industry of sugar. 
Mr. A. Hunrer (Laidley) then read the followimg paper entitled :— 
HOW WILL THE AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS OF SOUTHERN 
QUEENSLAND BE AFFECTED BY THE ADOPTION BY THE 
COLONY OF THE COMMONWEALTH BILL? 
The subject that the society which I represent wished me to have discussed 
through the medium of this Conference is—“ How will the agricultural interests 0 
Southern Queensland be affected by the adoption by the colony of the Common- 
wealth Bill?” As a farmer myself, of some years standing in the southern part of 
Queensland, I do not think that we have any cause to fear competition with the 
