FREE TRADE.

Auckland Star, Volume III, Issue 631, 19 January 1872, Page 3

FREE TRADE.

To the Editor of the Evening Stab. Sib, —You are well aware that there has been of late a vast deal said and written about free trade and protectionism ; and with reference to the different policies so designated a farmers society has been manufactured, I know that, with myself, you have declared much of the dissertation adverted to rubbish, Will you permit me to say it has seemed to me that scarcely any one in these Australasias has appeared to understand free trade, I cannot even conceive how any one can stand to a nominal advocacy of so-called free trade, whilst defending the Custom House institution. Yet many have tried it on, and do stick to it. The simple truth is, as I apprehend it, the very existence of a Custom-house, with all vvhich it necessarily or rather conventionally implies, is a gross violation of the very fundamental principle of perfect freedom of commerce. So that, with this view, I can consistently afford to sympathise and go with the diametrically opposite parties of these free traders, as far as they go, and with the protectionists under peculiar circumstances ; forasmuch as, if the Customhouse of these nominal free-traders remain, then the so-called protectionists are largely right. I cannot see how bastard freetraders can successfully meet them at all points. After the battle of Waterloo, Jersey Island, situated in a French bay, belonged to the English, but retained indepondenfc government. For more than fifty I ars Jersey has had free trade proper ; «..•) " duty " on main articles of trade. Best Cognac brandy tenpence the imperial pint, &c, and consequently no drunkenness, except among the casual visitors from old over-taxed countries. Corn the same. That island is prosperous. " Duty "on staple articles would seem to be a two-fold evil—secresy in mulct and consequent liability to corruption, and incalculable hindrance to trade. But I must not enlarge. There is manifest, here, prevalent ignorance as to what is free trade and what is protectionism ; confessed in fact the other day at a public meeting assembled. The farmers' protection league,