Sir John Hall on Protection of Local Industries.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 6, 23 June 1887, Page 4

Sir John Hall on Protection of Local Industries.

A telegram dated from Christchurch says: In a speech delivered at the opening of the Hororata Flour Mill, Sir John Hall made the following remarks

It may not be likely that as a rule we shall again see wheat fetch much above 3s per bushel, but at any rate I think that in this matter of price we have at last ‘ touched bottom,’ and that the future values in England will enable us to depend on 3s per bushel. The hard times we have gone through have taught us how, by strict and painful economy, to reduce the cost of prodection very greatly. By this means hard working farmers may even at 3s a bushel, live, and even pay the heavy taxes which have become an indispensable condition of existence in New Zealand. I do trust, however, that his burdens will not be much increased. No man has been more serious than myself to promote the establishment of a variety of industries which may furnish employment for our increasing population. We shall all agree that this is of the greatest importance, though we may differ as to the means which should be adopted for effecting our purpose ; but I trust there will be no difference as to the inexpediency of anything being done which must have the effect of burthening and discouraging important industries already established. Above all should this be avoided, in these times, with regard to that industry which in this, and in all new countries, must be the largest and most important of all, and in the past basis of prosperity of most others, viz., the cultivation of the soil. Any provisions which would lay further and avoidable burdens on the farming industry, and would increase the cost of raising a bushel of wheat, which we have been striving to reduce, would, in my opinion, press very injuriously on the interests of the community at large. On the other hand, anything which can be done to assist the cultivator of the soil to make his laborious occupation profitable would do mere to promote rapid settlement of land than the mos elaborate land regulations.