FAIRTRADE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1640, 19 August 1887, Page 2

FAIRTRADE.

TO THE EDITOB. Fir,- Nations have regulated tra-iin wi h each other from timo immemorial. Kbout the beginning of the present century it bogan to dawn upon the nutiooß, tho idea of protection m the form of today, England having tho balance of advantages, viz. :— lst, m position to rest of the word; 2nd. peace ; 3rd, minerals convenient to oach other, and of most use ; 4th, climate, if not the nust pleasant, certainly conducive to tho growth of a vigorous and a meat il people ; 6 h, soil of lrgh per contago of quality, certainly influenced for good by tho Gulf stream ; 6th, being an island ao much ioteraeoted by rivers, and having bo many harbora it had the great advantage of cheap orrioge and communication within itself and the rest of tho world. O her countries noon dieovered tho secret of Britain's success, and they started to levy on her trade to balance thomselvoa by those means England protected her articles of food with other things. Her statesmen had begun to deal with a subject requiring experience as regards what urticles to protect Pood roue out of proportion t > wapes ; after serious rioting the corn laws were repealed, from which time can be dated general Kreotrade principles. Other 'countries remain protected. British statesmen argue that Freetrade will become general if they remain firm to its prin ciplea, and wait with moderate patience This Bhe did m a most honorable manner. Tho other countries having the knowledge of Britain's natural and other advantages, wisely romain Protectionists, I draw my deductions from these facts : Had Britain adopted principles of Fairtrade inßtead of Freotrado on discovery of her mistako m protection of necessities, I om of opinion that trade m Britain would have assumed a very different aspect. Freetrade has high moral claims, but are we gaining or have wo gained a just systom of trading botween countries? I think not They coutinue to protect as strong as ever / as beforo-said, our natural advantages outweigh all thoughts of Freetrade on their part, or nearly 60 years Froetrade m England Biirely would have shown tho intelligent nations their fallacy By example we have failed to establish Freetrade m tho world, but oar good example is being shown to our great cost, with nil Britain's natural advantages (find tho natural are always the strongest.) It is qaoßtionable if she is m a more flourishing condition than some other countries with much less advantages. To have the benefit of our advantages we must, by tbo proof we have had, adopt different means, wo must fight them with their own or better weapons. Wi h countries who are m tho habit of sending manufactured and other articles into England free, wo would, according to Fairtrado thoory, levy a duty m justification against them With countries who allowed our goods to come m at a low or without a duty, wo could treat them m the same fair manner. The principle of Froettade would then be indirectly estab linhed, Brita'n being the great power of guidance oh account of her groat advantages and consuming power. Otbor countries would then find it necessary to deal fair with her, or suffer loss of trade of tho largest trading country. (Thero are articles which could not be profitably mado m Britain, that would require investigation and trial as to whothor they should bo free or not ) Tho nbovo may bo applied generally to New Zealand, but we have not so many natural advantage as England, but wo have the balance of advantage m comparison with Australia, and with a honsstly tried sybtem of a airtrade we ought to come to tho front ; but tho land of Now Zealand having bo^n so unjustly and unwisely sold m tho colonys infancy, causing capital to be sent out of the country, helping largely to cause centralisation, and also to cause the forma tion of an aristocracy who may eoe it to their interest to establish tho law of entail, otc, amongst ue, we will havo a lot of up-hill work for many years to come, therefore, to gain proßporky to everyone m this country, we must abolish land and other monoplios. Trade fairly, enoourage temperance prinoip'es, and ono and all retrench, to at'ain which, will have to bo legislated by the Government of the land. Therefore, the mnn whoto principles aro noarest to those, nhould bo the man to eend to help to make our laws, and to legislato the unsold crown lands of the colony for tho poople. "W.E.8." Ashburton.