CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 192, 11 August 1873, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

TO THE EdiTOK OF THE NISLBON EVENING MAIL. Sir— An article by " Snyder " written for the Auckland Herald appears in the Colonist of Friday last. Some persons may fall into the delusion of supnosiug this to be wit — others again may imagine it to be logic — may I be allowed to submit that it is neither the one or the other. Protection is not necessarily prohibition. If heavy duties are imposed on such articles as we with facility can, and therefore ought to produce (or ourselves, it cannot fail to be advantageous to the colony in any case. If under such circumstances importation still continues large suras will come into the Government chest to be expended in railways, roads, and other internal improvements ; which never yet failed to be worth their honest cost to a new country. It on tJk^other hand exclusion follows high duflr then new industries will spring up™n our midst, fair wages can be afforded, and extensive and solid prosperity will be the reward of enterprise. So much as regards the colony at large, as regards Nelson how stands it ? What is there to save us from decay and ruin unless we become a manufacturing community, and for wbich special facilities seem to have been provided for us. We have a superb climate to promote the health of our workers. We have coal almost at our own doors, thereby affording a cheap motive power — why then should we not have extensive manufactories of wool, flax, cotton, iron, paper, &c. Why in short should we not become the Manchester, the Leeds, or the Sheffield of New Zealand ? All that is wanted to make these visions sober facts is adequate protection during infancy, which is one grand principle provided for in all of nature's works. If some hasty reader should see fit to pronounce these notions wild, I can only say with the noble old Grecian " Strike but hear me." I am, &c, R, Fbebmakt,