“The Press” In 1866

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30959, 15 January 1966, Page 12

“The Press” In 1866

January 15 NEW INDUSTRIES.—Mr Moorhouse has repeatedly in his recent speeches alluded to the introduction of manufactures to the province, and has stated in a loose manner that, if elected to be Superintendent, he will endeavour to have manufactures introduced. He especially alluded in one speech to the manufacture of our native wool into woollen fabrics . . . When he speaks of what he wishes to do, we infer that he means what he will do in his public capacity—what he wishes the Government to do. Now we can only conceive two possible modes in which a Government can interfere with the manufacturing industry of a country; first, by supplying capital; and, secondly, by

passing protective laws which shall place any particular industry in a position of advantage over others ... If all the great thinkers, writers, and speakers of modern times have been talking nonsense—if the lives of such men as Richard Cobden have been utterly wasted—if all those doctrines, as they are now being carried out in every branch of the commercial and fiscal systems of England by Mr Gladstone, and which are generally believed to have conferred such immeasurable benefits on the working classes —the doctrines of free trade—if all these are a mistake, then we could listen to a proposal to protect local manufactures by law, as a question for consideration and argument.