FISHMONGER'S LETTER.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 89, 11 October 1895, Page 2

FISHMONGER'S LETTER.

—— TO THE EDITOB OF THE STAB. Sib,—For reasons which I need-not state I always skip letters on Freetrade by Messrs Goodbehere and Colonist, but yesterday I was beguiled into reading " Fishmonger's " letter which drifted into the currents of Freetrade philosophy (I say philosophy because when 'a teacher teaches that which he does not understand he is allowed to call it philosophy). I wish to show one side of the forty-five sides of pictured windows surrounding the question of Freetrade in New Zealand. In a certain, correct, sense it is the producers of a countrywho maintain its inhabitants, and if we aggregate all the workers of New Zealand, and view them as " one fisherman," who, in a year, has caughht six big fishes and a smelt, then this fisherman must be pictured as giving away bud of his fishes. One to the collective idler, clergyman, schoolmaster, middleman, soldier, and doctor (but not for hit political pills), and retaining the " teeny weeny " fish for his own use. Now if the foreigner brings cheaper fish to this shore he does not bring th6m to assist our fisherman to maintain his depend* ants; resident producers only can do* that, but he comes to eat up part of the toiler's little " spottie " by reducing the value of his earnings. lam of opinion that the selfishly intelligent advocates of Freetrade in this country look at Freetrade only from this side. They ■ think Freetrade would reduce the cost of living, without reducing their own incomes. Bat the wisdom ofimpoyerishing their providers may. be fairly questioned, and this is one of many reasons why Liberals are opposed to Freetrade. On the other hand the Customhouse is a bank, or receiver, who takes our money for a short time and pays it all back to us, or to par creditors. It, at the same time, secures as against falling into the condition of the halffamished foreigner. The "necessaries of life" are unknown quantities, and Customs duties have only to be adjusted so that they become a fair tax upon all classes. Sometimes, when tired by working, Ido wish that we had Free* trade with every country in the world, which would bring us at once to the " single tax " on land, and in the present state of the world that would mean to us that our occupations would be gone, and we should be fit subjects for charitable aid, and so get a rest. Indeed, our •' free breakfast table " must be mad,e out of the Charitable Aid Board, lam, etc., Fabmeb Hold-Fast.