Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1871.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 920, 18 January 1871, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1871.

One of the most plausible arguments by which the advocates of Protection theories seek to entrap the unwary is that a revenue should be raised by taxes imposed upon articles which we can produce, and not upon such as we are compelled to import from other countries. Mr Vogel argued in this strain in the celebrated Financial Speech he made in the House of Representatives last year, assuming i that by so doing the required revenue would be raised and local industry encouraged at one and the same time. Now, this attempting to " kill two ]>irds with one stone " can only result, as all such double aims must, in failure to, accomplish either, for just so far as one pf the results is eifepted the other must |"ai), while each of them will exert an adverse influence on the other. So far $s revenue is raised..proteption is not afforded, and just so far as protection is gJYen revenue fai]s. jie venue results

from duties on importations of the taxed commodity; Protection, results oiily so far as the importations are stopped ; bat the whole burden of the tax imposed falls upon the community in either case just as heavily in the one instance as in the other. We will assume a special case for illustration of the argument, premising that ir, will afford nothing peculiar in itself, or that will not hold good in all Others in which an attempt may be made to establish an industry by the aid of Protective duties. Common Salt is an article of universal consumption. There is nothing of mystery about its manufacture. No patent right exists to hinder any person from commencing its production. The raw material we have at hand in unlimited abundance, and the market for its sale is at our doors. At the present time it is admitted free of duly, and yet we have to pay for it a price from 300 to 500 per cent above its value in the English markets, an advance consequent upon its tiansit across the globe. All that, is wanted then to establish a new local industry in our midst is a Protective duty sufficiently heavy to make the home-manufactured article compete successfully with the foreign product. And if any case will 101 l for the -Protectionists that under notice should do so. We only wonder that some of them have not taken up its advocacy long ago. It is of no great consequence to the argument of how much the Protective duty would need to be in order to effect its purpose. It may be three times, or any other number of times, its present price. The duty must be such as will raise the price of the imported article so high as to enable the home produce to keep it out of the market. We will Iheiefore assume that a duty of 300 per cent, would do this. It would enable the manufacturer to charge a paying price for his commodity, and close the ports against the foreign competitor. Tn other words, it would establish the salt manufacture as one of our local industries, but it would not contribute to the revenue in any degree after that establishment. If we ask, "What benefit would result to the community in general from it?" the Protectionist is ready with his reply--" We should keep all the money amongst us that we now send out of the country for salt;" and that is all !—-but a dubious advantage at the most, while, we venture to say, the evil results would be beyond calculation. Borne of these will readily enough occur to every one. Every art or industry into which salt enters as an essential would receive a blow which in many cases would be fatal to it, while the whole country would be taxed with a fourfold price of an article of everyday consumption, which tax would not at all aid the revenue, but exist and be levied solely that a class should profit by an industry that would not stand on its own merits. We are sure that if our legislators ever should fall into such an error as to introduce such a tax, they would speedily repent of their mistake, and allow the new industry to perish rather than contiinie the infliction of so great a wrong upon the people. Bjfle Volunteer Parade on Clive Square this evening at 6 o'clock. By the New Zealand Gazette; of the 6th inst. we observe that Samuel Locke, Esq., R.M., has been appointed Returning Officer for the Eastern Maori Electoral District. Electoral District of Napier.— The nomination of candidates for the representation of die above district in the House of Representatives will take place at the Resident Magistrate's Court-house, Napier, at noon to-morrow (Thursday, 19th inst.) The English Mail via Suez will be due in Melbourne to-morrow, while the telegraphic summary will probably have been received yesterday. As it was expected thai a steamer would leave Melbourne for the Bluff this day, we may look out for telegrams about Monday next. Possibly, the same steamer that brings the telegrams will also prove to be the bearer of the mail itself.