▁upon ▁his ▁return ▁in ▁the ▁winter ▁of ▁ 1 8 9 3 ▁reached ▁two ▁dec isions ▁designed ▁to ▁enh ance ▁Canada ' s ▁relations ▁with ▁Britain ' s ▁Pacific ▁colon ies ; ▁first , ▁it ▁agreed ▁to ▁conven e ▁a ▁colonial ▁conference ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 8 9 4 ; ▁and ▁second , ▁it ▁resolved ▁to ▁send ▁John ▁Short ▁Lar ke ▁to ▁Australia ▁as ▁Canada ' s ▁first ▁trade ▁commission er . ▁ ▁Canada ▁held ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 4 ▁Col onial ▁Conference ▁in ▁Ott awa , ▁drawing ▁represent atives ▁from ▁the ▁six ▁Australian ▁colon ies , ▁New ▁Zealand , ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁colon ies ▁and ▁Britain . ▁Fr ustration ▁in ▁Ott awa ▁arose ▁though , ▁when ▁the ▁Canadian ▁proposal ▁to ▁strength en ▁imperial ▁trade ▁relations ▁through ▁a ▁system ▁of ▁prefer ential ▁British ▁tar iffs ▁was ▁effectively ▁defeated ▁by ▁the ▁opposition ▁of ▁two ▁of ▁Australia ' s ▁largest ▁colon ies , ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁and ▁Queensland , ▁who ▁were ▁susp icious ▁the ▁Canadian ▁initi ative ▁seemed ▁designed ▁to ▁und erm ine ▁Australia ' s ▁protect ive ▁Tar iffs . ▁The ▁visit ▁of ▁John ▁Short ▁Lar ke ▁also ▁did ▁not ▁go ▁as ▁planned , ▁as ▁he ▁was ▁met ▁with ▁a ▁protection ist ▁press , ▁warning ▁"[ t ] he ▁measure ▁of ▁[ Lar ke ' s ] ▁continuous ▁success ▁will ▁also ▁be ▁the ▁measure ▁of ▁our ▁suic idal ▁fol ly ." ▁Only ▁the ▁col ony ▁of ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁he eded ▁the ▁ple ad ▁of ▁Lar ke ▁to ▁help ▁Ott awa