The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit THURSDAY DECEMBER, 3, 1885. The New Era.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1342, 3 December 1885, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit THURSDAY DECEMBER, 3, 1885. The New Era.

On Saturday last the Premier laid the foundation stone of the Wellington Woollen Factory’s buildings at Petone in the presence of a large number ol distinguished politicians and others. Mr Stout, of course, had to make a speech, and he commenced that task by telling his hearers that we are now on the eve of a new economical era. It cannot be claimed for this observation that it possesses even the merit of originality. Times without number statesmen who have failed to redeem the promises by which they have climbed to power, point us “to the hopes of future years.” “ The Golden Age,” Ministers of the Crown are often constrained to quote, “ is not behind, but before us.” Our intentions are always rather better than our actions, and -without hope the burdens of the world would be insupportable. Mr Stout seeks to enhance our store of hope, and speaking, as he did on Saturday, to people largely interested in industrial enterprises he naturally gives the utmost prominence to the importance and prosperity of our manufacturing industries. “Art and science,” he said, “would necessarily flourish where industries were fostered and encouraged, and this colony would remain poor while she depended solely upop her shipment of wool and gold. _ 1 his was true from an educational point of view; but, looked it io ta«re taitetlal

light, the argument was equally sound. An old maxim told us it was folly t I put all our eggs into one basket, and * the more we spread our industries the . wealthier we would become. Then there was another question which was continually recurring namely, what t shall we do with our sons ?” No sen- < sible man acquainted with the measures < of this colony, will question the wisdom 1 of fostering and encouraging local in- 1 dustries. On that point we are all 1 agreed. It is when we approach the 1 question of means that differences of opinion are betrayed. Mr Stout and his pre- , sent colleagues, whether from deliberate

conviction or from a short-sighted view of expediency we know not, —urge that the means should be protective duties, indeed, they and the party they think it wise to attract would have us believe that no manufactory, particularly during its early stages, can progress without Protection. “ Surely,” they say, “it is but common sense to impose import duties on commodities which may be produced and manufactured at home, and to allow the free importation of what we cannot produce ourselves.” If we ask them “ What is the object of import duties—to raise prices or to obtain a revenue ?” they will reply “Both.” They have long abandoned the plea that revenue was the first consideration in the policy they advocate. Protectionists have gained assurance, we might say impudence, as they have gained apparent strength, and now demand that the community at large should make a sacrifice, a substantial one, too, for their especial benefit. We have traversed this ground over and over again, and it is not our intention on this occasion to repeat the, well-worn and well sustained and unanswerable arguments in favor of Freetrade; it was our intention rather to express a hope that the new economical era, whatever else it may do, will terminate the reckless borrowing, the over-spending, and the consequent depression under which we have so long staggered.