The Globe. SATURDAY, JULY 28, 1877.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 964, 28 July 1877, Page 2

The Globe. SATURDAY, JULY 28, 1877.

In yesterday’s article wo expressed a hope that means would be taken by the Government, to avoid an agitation in this colony, in favour of a Protective tariff. The Government, six or seven years ago, entered upon a policy whose great object was to foster the rapid growth of the colony, and the result has shown the wisdom of the measures taken. Since 1870 the progress of New Zealand in material wealth has been unprecedentedly rapid. Had we been content to trust to our natural progress, we would certainly have had a much smaller public debt, but our wealth would have been much less, and our means of paying the interest on our loans proportionally smaller. It is plain, therefore, that the Government have been fostering the progress of the colony by artificial means, and all that we ask is that this state of things should be continued for a little longer. The course we propose is a very different one indeed from that taken in Victoria. There, a mad Protection policy has been in force, with the object of fostering so-called native industries, and the result is that almost all of them are paupers on the public purse. In order to give employment to a few thousand men at most, such Customs duties are levied as enormously to increase, to the entire population, the cost of living. The policy we propose would have no such effect. We merely wish that, as we have been taxed for the introduction of our immigrants, our money should not all be wasted. The cost of freight and commission are enough without . any other protection, to enable the manufacturers of rolling stock to supply it to the Government at the same price as it can be landed for from England. Such manufacturing industries would soon become thoroughly established. The case of New South Wales may be quoted as an example of a colony possessed of many thriving industries, and yet it cannot be said that its Parliament bus ever passed a Protectionist tariff. In an ar tide on the subject the Sydney Morning lie raid says, whatever their manufacturing industries may be, they are self-supporting. They may have been affected by changes of tariff, in common with general commerce, but, our contemporary says, the amount of duty in their favour has never been large enough to materially affect their operations, nor long enough continued to become a Government bonus, necessary to their existence. On the other hand, take the case of Victoria. Eor years the tariff has been avowedly const meted to foster what are called native industries. The result is that the people there arc more and more

turning to the Government for aid. To show what are the notions of some men in Victoria, as to the duties of Government, we quote the following notice of motion, recently given in Pa rliament, by a certain Mr. Cameron: —-“ I hat, in the opinion of this House, the Government should take steps to provide a fund out of which money may be lent to selectors who have improved their land, in order that the land policy of this colony should have full effect, and that selectors should be preserved from falling into the hands of persons who lend money at high interest, the result iu such cases being the rapid absorption of selected land by monopolists.” Commenting on the above extraordinary proposition, the Daily Telegraph says : —“ Something more than money is required. Take the case of the free selector, for example. Why should a paternal Government limit its functions to money-lending ? Why not provide him with an agricultural tutor for himself; a ‘ help ’ for his wife ; and rocking-horses, tops, marbles, and hoops for his children ? It might establish free circulating libraries, skating rinks, assembly-rooms, concerts, and theatres in populous districts. It might open butcheries, bakeries and general stores, in which the necessaries, comforts, and luxuries of life should be attainable by ‘ the people ’ at cost price. It might fix the minimum rate of wages in all employments, and reduce the hours of labour by one-half. In fact, we are really oppressed by the grandeur and magnificence of the vision which gradually uufolds itself before us as we reflect upon the train of blessings likely to flow from the establishment of a really paternal system of government iu this colony.” It is because we do not wish such lunatics as Mr. Cameron to be returned to our Parliament that we urge the adoption of a course which will prevent the question of Protection ever being seriously proposed in New Zealand,