(From tin Hobart Town Mercury, Jan. 12.) The Intercolonial Free Irade Bill of 1867, passed by the Parliament of Tasmania, but disallowed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, on behalf of the Crown, promises yet to bear fruit. We have repeatedly said that if Tasmania was the first to give parliamentary sanction to the principles of Free Trade, in so far as the colo nies are concerned, the bill then passed, whatever its present fate, must ultimately have the effect of bringing about the much desired object. We were not discouraged, though disappointed, by the Queen’s refusal to assent to the bill, and though we were regarded as hoping against hope, we said that at no distant date the action of the Imperial Government would be condemned as impoli tic, short-sighted, and over-straining the Royal prerogative. Already there are on all sides indications justifying the anticipations in which we indulged. The subject has been discussed in each of the colonies. Among the mercantile communities, as represented by the Chambers of Commerce in the several colonies, a system of Intercolonial Free Trade has been favourably entertained; and the question having been pressed on the respective Govern ments, has met with such general sanction that an Intercolonial Conference among the colonies has been agreed to, though unfore seen and unfortunate circumstances have occurred to prevent the proposal being as yet carried out. Changes of ministries, the bane of the colonies, have interfered to pre vent any meeting of the Conference, which seems more distant now than it did when the last session of the Tasmanian Parliament was opened, and his Excellency anticipated the possibility of a short supplementary session to receive the result of the Conference’s deli berations. But still, Intercolonial Free Trade is advancing in favour amongst the colonies; and notwithstanding the petty jealousy en tertained by some lest their neighbours should obtain some advantage over them, or they should be deprived of some superiority on which they lay great stress, the day is not far distant when the intercolonial relations will he regulated by some auoh law as that of the Tasmanian measure of 1867.
