WHAT DOES PROTECTION MEAN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1665, 17 September 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

WHAT DOES PROTECTION MEAN.

Sis, — This question, most deoidedly, every elector m New Zealand should ask himself, before committing himself, to vote for the present Government or any other who would be m favor of suoh a suicidal polioy. It seems to me that the generality of our people do not reoognise the faot that it means, beyond everything else, a largo addition to their weekly outlay, or the alternative, depriving them of the little luxuries they at present enjoy, the latter the most likely, as I am sure it takes most of us all our time to make ends meet, even with the most rigid economy.

At the first blush, and according to the arguments of the Protectionists, it would seem that the farmer, mechanic, and laborer would get all the best of it, but of this we may be sure, the happiness of the many is the last consideration with those who clamour for Proteotion. No 1 tho people who head the movement are those who have taken everything from the people m the past, and (the leopard not changing his spots) will continue to do the same m the future.

Now let us see how it will suit the farmer. We mu3t oonoede m the first place, that the foundation of all industries is obtained from the earth itself, whether m tho shape of grain, wool, hides, timber or the purchasing medium itself, gold, as well as all other minerals. But to confine ourselves for the present, to the farmer. What would be its effect on him. Every artiole he consumed or wore, not produced by himself, would be heavily taxed and every artiole he produced would depredate m value. The Protectionists speak of the largo inoreaso m population whioh would follow the carrying out of their policy. Now, we will allow for the sake of argument (a very unlikely thing however,) that the population would double mloor 15 years Two things would then ocour ; the consumption of produce would be doubled aud naturally the quantity produced would be also doubled. Considering at tho present moment that by far the largest proportion of our productions are shipped away, what difference would be made, the supply being now (and must always continue so) immensely m excess of tha demand. How is it going to benefit the producer ? The price here must be regulated by the prioos ruling whore the balance of the productions are sold ; but depending as the farmer does upon the facilities afforded him m placing his surplus m the best market, what do wo find ? Protective (or Prohibitive, the same thing) duties, would mean that the grand fleet of merohant ships whioh oome yearly to us, laden with the productions of other countries, for our general comfort, would arrive here m ballast trim. Now shipowners, like others, do not keep their ships simply as a convenience for us, but as a means of making money. Eaoh vessel must leave a profit. If they cannot make it the outward voyage, thoy will do so on the return voyage, and the result would be a material increase m the freight on frozen mutton, wool, grain and all other exports and at the end of the voyage, the farmer would get no more than he does now. I have heard them say " the English people would have to pay the difference." Can you (I ask) make the peopie of England buy your good-?, {u'c the present moment,) at your own price ? No ! You must take the priceß ruling there and whioh are regulated by the supplies from other countries of considerably more importance than New Zealand. — I regret that the spaoe whioh you may be able to give is restricted, as I could Bay a great deal more on this subject — , but if I can set the farmers thinking and using their own good sense m the matter I shall be quite satisfied — I should like, however, before quitting the subject to point out to the farmers, that the ships referred to are themselves large customers for their productions. They of course buy their supplies m the oheapest market whioh is for most things, New Zealand, and besides this they support a large proportion of the population of the various sea-port towns who are again consumers oi farm produoe, #

Now as to operatives m factories, who are to be so much benefited by this false, selfish, system. Granted, that the number of people who would use their productions would be doubled. For a few months it would possibly be an El Dorado : then 1 the reaction. The people of New Zealand supplied : what are you going to do with your surplus? you cannot ship it to the sister colonies, because they are like ourselves, producing the same articles, you cannot ship it to the European or American market?, because you cannot compete with their cheaper labor. Well 1 you are first put on half time, then half of you are dispensed with, then down comes the price of labor, the supply being m excess of demand aud you are worse off than you are at present. Bemember you are already sufficiently protected and the prinoipal proprietors are satisfied with the present protection ; what more do you want ? You are all busy, and unlesß you want to pay more for all you eat and drink, leave well alone. Look at prohibitive America, take the strikes and lock-outs that ocour there continually ai a warning.

The same argument appließ to the mechanic and laborer, but more forcibly, because population inoreasing means flooding the oountry with people of this description and a reduction rather than an increase of wages with a burdensome increased tax put upon everything they use.

Now what benefits are you who ate m receipt of regular wages as Government employes to receive from proteotion, There will be no possible increase on your income, but a most decided one on your outlay. In conclusion I beg my fellow electors, to think this matter carefully out. Do not be blinded by those who, to enrich themselves, are quite ready to sacrifice you ie the future, as they have done m the past ; and as doing your best m the good cause of retrenchment and good and less expensive Government m the future, vote for Mr Purnell, the same man who 13 years ago m a pamphlet warned you what our present position would be, and ia again holding out the warning hand. Do, for once think this matter out. Do not allow feelings of friendship to interfere with or bias your judgments. Act ai reasonable men, and try and put this grand, but ruined by bad government, country on a sounder footing, for the sake of yourselves and the family you are raising. We are getting emigrants a home here, m large numberß without importing them, think of theso little emigrants and vote for Purnall, Freetrade, and reduction m the Government expenditure. And no additional taxeß, or borrowing.— Yours, etc.,

Sobut'ator.