THE FREETRADE QUESTION.

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 1, 2 July 1892, Page 2

THE FREETRADE QUESTION.

TO THK EDITOR OF THE STAK Sir. — I understand that Mr Bruce is a Freetrader — that is to say, he would be in favour of taking off duty on things coming into the colony, which, in the first place, would paralyse the industrial and manufacturing establishments apf New Zealand, and throw thousands of people out of employment, and hundreds of thousands of pounds would be drawn from the colony in consequence of our factories not being able to compete with the foreign manufactured articles. How is it that things can be manufactued in other parts of the world so much cheaper than we could do it ? It is because people work longer hours and receive less pay. In Germany people work twelve hours per day (and in many cases sixteen) for 12s per week ; hence things ai;e manufactured and can be shipped to tfce colonies at n, much lower price than fre could manufacture thfijsagjis a,usj|ie here, so that protection on things which can be manufactured in the colony not only raisss revenue but also encourages manufacturing and industrial establishments, which keep the money in the colony and give employment to the people. Mr Satnl. Goodbehere, in his letter to the Star, tries to make ont that when our imports are greater than our exports it shows the colony is in a good condition. Now, if that theory be correct, the colony would show itself to be in a better state if all our manufacturing and industrial establishments were done away with, for then our imports would be much greater. 16 is only a stupid and one-sided saying. We want facts, not theories. Machinery and other goods come in free of duty — that is those things which cannot be manufactured in the colony, and are public necessities. The Customs contribute largely to our revenue, and if we are to do away with duties, how would that amount of money which is now raised by duty be made up ? For depend upon it if the people do not pay through the Customs they will have to pay the same amount of money in some other way, which most probably would be put on the property and land. Then many of our city people and professional men, who now only pay through the Customs, would escape taxation altogether ; hence the extra tax would fall on the industrious people who own property. But many of our professional men and others make more money than the property.; owners. This speaks for itself; it shows the injustice of freetrade, if applied in New Zealand. Mr Bruce may have m mind another theory to obviate this withdrawal of money and employment thfct' would bo engendered by freetrade, his theory being longer hours— twelve, asm other countries— and less pay, probably ldss than the five shillings per day. Mr Bruce referred to England and Freetrime under which she has prospered. -He compares England and Freefcradfr with

i New Zealand and Freetrade, which is no | comparison at all, as I will show: In I England the hours of labor are longer and the wages much less than what they are in the colonies, consequently things are manufactured much cheaper. England imports a treinendiouslot of raw material, which is manufactured into saleable articles and exported. This clearly shows that Protection would cripple her — that is if she had to pay duty ou her imports ; and as for the hours of labor Mr Brad*. , laugh (late M. P.) proved if the hoars were reduced to eight it would ruin London. I should like to touch on other points of Mr Brace's address showing that he is by no means the farmer's friend, and thai the theories which he advocates are unjust, immoral, and would prove detremental'to the colony if put in force. #_ I am, &c., ' V • F. E. Chamberlain.