DREADNOUGHTS AND FLAX.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 453, 27 March 1909, Page 3

DREADNOUGHTS AND FLAX.

[to the editor.] Sir, —I am greatly stirred by the patriotic sentiment that is at present manifesting itself in the gifts of “Dreadnoughts,” increased naval subsidies, etc., etc. I am delighted to think that we live under the administration of a Government so patriotic and imperialistic, it would hardly do to say jingoistic, that feels that it can unhesitatingly put its ,hand into the taxpayers pocket and abstract therefrom a sum that will increase the national debt of New Zealand by about £2 per head. To the unpolitical mind it must appear a fairly expensive way of expressing our patriotism, and at the same time suggest that we must have heaps of money in our treasury when we can spare so much. At the same time it also strikes one with the enquiry ; “What has happened to the Mother Country that she is pleased to accept such a gift?” Where is all her immense wealth and untold treasure ? Of course if she is so fearfully hard up that she cannot build ships to keep time with Germany, and one is almost forced to believe that it must be so, well, then, it is the duty of the dominions over the sea to step in and build her a new fleet if necessary, but until the multi-millionaires of Britain are relieved of some of their surplus wealth, and have exhausted their reserves in the expression of their patriotism, it is nothing less than indecent pocket-picking for the Premier of New Zealand to take from the people of New Zealand a sum in interest and redemption, in payment of the loan to build this ship, that will be a burden to every man, woman and child for the next twenty or thirty years. I say it is indecent because he has taken no means to discover whether the people of this country are willing or not to pay for it. • If the British Government determined to place an equal burden upon the people of the United Kingdom then they could put thirty Dreadnoughts on the stocks at once. It was not, however, to draw attention so much to our gift of a war-ship as to emphasise the fact that the Government can so generously pass millions away iu political pyrotechnics, it is surely not unreasonable to expect them to do something for the sake of the people who will have to pay for this piece of folly. The flax industry is languishing and by present appearances must in a short time cease to exist. Is the Government prepared to do anything to find employment for the large body of men that will become unemployed, and for those who have invested their all in the industry ? To be consistent they should- I would propose that the Government be asked to assist to keep the flax industry on its feet for at least another year, by giving an export bonus on all flax shipped over sea, to be fixed upon a sliding scale according to the prices ruling in the Home market.' In no instance should the bonus be more than thirty shillings per ton, nor should the amount ever be more than to bring the best quality we ship up to per ton. Some such scheme as this would give millers confidence to go on in the hope of improved markets, and would still keep our product in British manufacturers hands, for if we allow our product to be squeezed out by the ruling low prices, we can say good bye for ever to this important industry. Aplogising for taking up so much of your space, and hoping that the calling of public attention to this matter may do some good. —I am etc. True Patriot.