PROTECTION OF THE COAL INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 49, 18 February 1881, Page 3

PROTECTION OF THE COAL INDUSTRY.

Since the time when Mr Richard Reeves, M.H.R. for Grey Valley, introduced a measure in the House of Representatives for the imposition of an import duty on soal, the progress of events has proved the necessity which exists for the adoption of a protective policy in regard to this mineral. When the Bill was brought in, a geneial opinion prevailed that, when once fairly started, New Zealand collieries would be able to keep the foreign product out of the local market, and if things had remained until now in the same position that they then were, there is no doubt but this would have been accomplished, bufc such has not been the case. The colliery owners in New South Wales have considerably reduced the price of their soal, and are now prepared to pour it into this Colony at a rate which defies successful competition on the part of New Zealand mines. They are enabled to do this by reason of the advantages afforded hy the New South Wales G> vernment, also of the natural facilities available, coupled with the low price of labor. Therefore, a protective tariff should be imposed upon the foreign article, at least until such time as our newlyopened mines are in a position to compete with the old-established collieries of the neighlormg Colony. If this were done several advantages would accrue: the revenue would be considerably assisted, and strangers who are drawing large sums of money from the Colony would be compelled to contribute to its Exchequer, — men who have hitherto escaped scot free ; and, secondly, local consumption would be increased, thereby keeping money in the Colony which otherwise would be sent elsewhere. We hope, a_.d-4j_as.k-, -that if a measure similar to Ml.Reeves, is again brought forward^Jt;w_l receive the favorable consi-e^tion of Parliament.— West Port Times. V .'._ .-. .

but the -lad ! went ' Oh. Avithout any response. " Come here, I want you!" ■lid Prince Alfred/ .ft Wl} 1 4he boy walked, The young prince then run With aitjsp^rlj-iirrd'bYevtook the lad with thff*cocl(lfJ'rf, f - , and ; ' said : " Now I want you to telV'fee the- way to --tin. castle." "'• "'''' • ''

" I dinna ken," shld the hoy. . ' '« If you 0 don't tell mo," .shouted the prince, ',' I will 'knock the basket offyou^&.d.':-'/- V'V' " Na, ye } winnni," was the defiant reply. " Won't 1," said the -prince, and in the next ins .ant the basket was . §&lling in the sand; tod cockles tumbling about in all directions. The. 'boy's 1 temper was roused, and he rushed up &Hhe prince with his clenched hand ; there was a tussle for a few seconds, but the boy soon oonqueredf, and' the prince ran away, followed by his assailant. One of the royal servants, who had gone in search of the young prince, witnessed the assault, and coining quickly to the rescue, took the poor hoy into custody, marching him to the castle, and telling him on the way tho enormity of his, offence, he having dared to strike a prince of the royal family. " I dinna ken wha that gentleman was, but he spilt a' my cockles," said the boy sobbing. H The young prince thought over n '-ihe affair, and.- told the attendant that he was more to blame than the lad, and he had better let him go ; but the attendant thought otherwise, and marched tlie prisoner on, and the rumour ran round the castle that Prince Alfred had been seriously assaulted ; but that royal youth, with wise resolve, went to the Queen and told her what had happened, and that the boy was not in fault.

The poor little prisoner was taken to an ante-roeni in the castle, whsre, trembling all over, he awaited his sentence. . Presently a reverend gentleman made his appearance ; he was one of the Qrteen's chaplains ; and in a gentle, encouraging tone, ho asked the boy his name, where he lived, his occupation, and ail the circumstances which led to the encounter; and to the surprise of the attendant, he ordered the boy, by the wish of her Majesty, to be taken into a comfortable room and given something to eat

In about half an hour afterwards ; the same reverend gentleman returned and told ths little hoy that the Queen was satisfied that he had done -90 wrong ; that 1 fer Majesty deemfecl ib the duty of her subjects to prltect themselves whenever they wev^oppressed ; Her Majesty had taken JVrto. consideration the value of the cockles and the time lose, and had sent hiui five shillings as compensation. The prisoner -wasHhen released to pick up his basket and his cockles, and ran home a rich and happy boy ; but his {..ood foi tune did not end here, for the Queen sent to inquire about his family, and found that his mother was a poor fisherman's widow, living in great- poverty," aad the fortunate boy was cent t<>' sgliool, and: afterwards apprenticed to a trado by Her Majesty's bounty.