OPINION ON THE NEW TARIFF.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1870, 18 June 1888, Page 3

OPINION ON THE NEW TARIFF.

" Has Sir Harry Atkinson fulfilled bis ' promise to bring down a tariff that would come nearest to giving satisfaction to, the | moderate parties, both of Protectionists and Freetraders 1 In answer to the »bave question I Bay emphatically Yoa, When } od Wedresday last, at Napier, I fust read the Flnanoial Satement, it did not take me long to arrive at this conclusion, and I at once wired to the members for Duaedin Central and Danodln West that In my opinion the tariff proposals were on the whole satisfactory, at the earae t'me expressing a hope that all moderate Protectionist members would eupport Government m tbeir propoealo without party bias, I cannot bat deplore the unfortunate exigencies which neceaaltattd tho Government, after haying earnestly supplied themselves to retrenchment, to hayo to reaort to farther taxation. Yet I fee) aura that the increases will m various inßtaLces create new industries, and m others give Buch an impetus to existing industries as to go fer to counterbalance the freßh burdeDß of taxation. Sir Harry has manfully fulfilled his promises ; fairly and honestly had he attempted to reoonoile cot fllcting Interests ; horoloally bent to do his duty to tho country, ho had risen obova party oodaideratlon and private friendship. Truly, his tank hna been a difficult and painful ouo. At a moit crllioal time he hna grasped tho position of the country, he has quietly gone amocgßt the people and felt ihoir pulee, and uopleasant aa some of his proposed repipdioa may be, thoy wIU aa.sured,ly lead to the reoovery of oqr true position Much aa I va'ue the enoourogetnent whioh hla tariff proposals will give to oar natural reßoarcos, still more do I value his determination for the oolony henoo firth to pay Its way out of rovenue. I regret a tendency on the part of the Press to unfavorably conalder the resolve of the Ministry 'not to fund tho de6ciency. ' Unpleasant as it will bo to BtraUow the primage pill, I feel sure the eff >rt to pay our way will bo to inspire confidence at Home and abroad. The tariff proposals i.rnhat haVo cobc Sir Harry aria his colleagues a great doil of anxiuuY consideration, and vrhlle m a few Instances amendments, ans improvements wtll probably be suggested, w/tiloh it would be w.eil to consider thoy have, on the whole, boon designed with an. quglotts I care to stqdy the agripyltvjral, the pastoral, : the mining, $nd the dairy Industries of the cpantry, the articles whiph they require being almost entirely froo. As tbeao industries forrQ the backbone o( the goyntry, J alncerely trust tho Bqbßidles to looal bodies will t»o continued, re othorwise Borioqs ino'onveuienoo will be oauaed to ooqntry district!, Oity members are apt to forget that it la the country whloh feeds the towns. I beg to apologise for tho length of my loHor, Aa an old colonist I have always takon a heartfelt interest In tho welfare of our country. 1 tnke a prldo m oqr prog^g^ an^,kr.e«ppotlve of a po«ndß-.BhiiringE(.MidpenQO view, I feet humiliated that at tho prcuent time we are obllgod to tako a baok seat. Yet I know ond tun interested m Victoria and New South Wales, and It is no figure of speech wlien I cay New Zealand oup;ht to be m the foremost ranks I tool HU»e the : generality of o\\v merubdra, ba they Froa- ; traders or be they Proteotlonisto, have the welfare of the country at heart ; and I trust it may not be oonaldered presumptuous on my part if I snggcat that at thiß . oritloal moment all might fairly qomblae. ; Indeed, it daocaa to.'^te that Harry's proposals have Vaea so framed i^tiat all oa'n join and pub their shoulders to the wheel, m whloh' case am oonfjdoat we < ijhould not bo long before we our I nropec position. l ' — Mr B, Hallenafcelu m tha " New Zealand Timea."