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Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 643, 21 October 1909, Page 6

: _Mr. Rolleston's latest table of statistics relating to British imports discloses a general falling off that may on analysis carry a . little further Jin. John Duthie's rooent contention that the pre- , forcntial tariff has failed in its object. Mr. Duthie's figures were by themselves pretty conclusive. The- experience of New Zealand (appears to bo the opposite of the; experience of Australia. In a recent memorandum the Federal Minister for .Customs says that the 5 per cent. pre-, feronce to 'British goods lias "already ■ proved" successful. "As !a result of onc r : year's' texperiertce, we .find that the decrease of British •iinportations-.ih!.regard' ' to the total'of the particular itomii bene- ' fltang bi j?reieieaca has been arrested,''

he says.,- "Thus—comparing 1006 with • 1905, the decrease was 0.93 per cent.; comparing 1807 with 1006' the decrease was t 2.46 ptr cent.; comparing 1008 with 1007, 0 tbo a decrease was' .0.23 per cent," Tlw '• basis for the Minister's claim that the preferential tariff has benefited Britain ! is obviously a very slender one. Tir.e flue- 1 illations he quotes may mean anything or nothing—they look liko the normal movements of the sphere of trade. So far as . this country is concerned/the figures are " far otherwise, and are positive and definite. Thcro is happily no party—at least wo hope, there is no party—in the House with any desire to conceal or to misrepresent the .working of the Preferential and Reciprocal Trado Act. If the Act is not benefiting the British manufacturer, tho f consumer must be relieved of the extra burden on foreign goods. So far the Act ' has meant little more than'ih'o raising of 5 tho tariff wall. It is to be hoped that ' an attempt will bo inado to secure this 1 session a comprehensive statement of the 3 figure's' relating to New Zoaland trado with British and foreign countries since ( the Act came into force. ! The member for Christchurch East, - Mr. T. H. Davey, is a man who is greatly ; liked bv his political friends and oppoii--5 ents. But he must really bo warned'that ( ho is showing signs of developing into a thoroughly fine, spccimon of "the old Parliamentary hand," On two points ho al- ' ready, holds the views which are "the spe--1 cial mark of that not very admirable : typo. On Tuesday night he said that, ho "might fairly claim" that he "knew something about co-operative labour," (ho [ justification of his claim being that ho had worked with the pick, and shovel himself. While that.oxperienco entitles Mn. ■ Davey to our respect, it certainly does not entitle him to expect his views upon 1 co-oporative labour to be treated as specially authoritative. If there wore any soundness in tho plea that "who-drives fat oxen must himself bo fat,"'then the Parliamentary system of every country in tho world would be hopelessly bad, • While we should rather havo an expert : plumber attend to our hot-water pipes, : wo should profcr that tho legislation relating to plumbing were ontrusted to men who nover used a soldering iron in their lives. In the speech in which ' Mr.. Davey made his curious claim to authority, ho found serious fault with several young members who had had tho bad ta6te—it was the taste that Mr.' Davey complained of—to' "severely' criticise" members who had been in the House for a score of years.' Even if "the question wore one of taste, .it is! difficult to sco how ignorant and folly must bo: left un-' harmed,if only they - havo boon longi enough alive. The old Parliamentary hand may sincerely, believe that wisdom,' only comes with long sojourning in the Houso. But most people know pretty woll that when a member of Parliament begins to. scold tho ncwcqmc'rs because they are newcomers, it is time, for him to take himself and his antiquity .off the stage. No doubt wo should fed a lit-tlo gratified at the amount of attention accorded The Dominion-in political circles. :-It has becomc practically a daily occurroncc for somo member or Minister to rise in Parliament and roundly abuso tho papor, or, may be, sound its praises. It remained, however, for tho member for Avon to indulge, in a form of > attack which wc - arc pleased to think is unusual, if not unprecedented; in the Now Zoaland Parliament. ''This gentleman attacked ./-the paper as to its policy and as to its proprietary, which he was of course quite entitled •to do. Tho mothod followed of making such views public ■ is merely a question of tasto.' " But : Mr.' Russell was not content with explaining, his opinions • oh "theser'ttatters/'--. Hp •''proceeded to make hearsay allegations concerning tho financial position of tho papori which, if its ; position had-been as stated, would probably have done it serious : injury. The fact that those 'allegations wcro untriio: does not alter tlw seriousness of tho offenco committed, by the'member for Avon. If our public men are going /to attack 'thosewith 'whom they disagree on- political issues by, means of allegations—true >or. false—calculated to injure them in thoir privato business, the descent to still-lower depths will .be speedy, wo shall soon find Parliamont dograded and public life'unbearable. • .