WHERE DO WE COME IN ? A Reminder for John Bull.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 83, 1 February 1902, Page 8

WHERE DO WE COME IN ? A Reminder for John Bull.

THE Piemiei & pronpt and encigetic piote&t on the subject of the Army's meat contract will doubtless have a salutary effect at Home It is a pietty straight and forcible reminder to the Wai Office and to the Imperial Government as well that, while the colonies ungrudgingly send foith then willing volunteeis to fight foi the flag in South Africa, they expect the same spirit of patriotism to be reflected by the Imperial authorities m the placing of oiders for Army supplies At the same time, it would be unreasonable to expect the Mother-country to pay heavily foi the privilege of drawing its supplies exclusively from its own colones A contidct has been let for the supply cf frozen meat at sid per Ib, when includes the cost of distribution, a very large item in itself. The syndicate which has taken up this contract is a powerful South African and colonial combination, and the names of the principals favour the conclusion that the bulk of the supplies will be drawn from Queensland, or Australia at any rate, and that the balance will be drawn from the Argentine. It is extremely doubtful whether any producers in New Zealand would take up a contract on such terms, and it is highly improbable that it would pay them to do so But, if, as the Premier has stated, tender forms were not forwarded by the War Office to this colony in time for its people to compete on fair terms for this contract, he has strong reasons for raising his ▼oice in emphatic protest • • » Let us be consistent, however If we are to let John Bull clearly understand that he is to trade with his own family, even if he has to pay a somewhat higher price for his goods than the foreigner asks, then the family must not expect John to play a lone hand m this game Their example must be as good as their precept. Do we approach John Bull in this matter with an altogether clear conscience ? * * * Was it not last year only that we placed with Uncle Sam an order for railway locomotives, etc., running into very big figuies? Of course, there were reasons — urgency of time, and so forth — but, still, if we are to inculcate lessons of patriotism in these matters, our patriotism, like charity, best begins at home At present, we are doing a lot of business with Uncle Sam — ordering ciamway cais fiom him, subsidising his mail service, and so forth- — and when John Bull goes out a-maiketmg for his meat supplies, we must meet h.m halfway if we insist on having his custom ♦ * * What is wanted moie than anything, and what seems to be coming, 1^ the formation of that Imperial 7ollveiein which shall weld the component parts of thp Empire together with all the cohesive force cf a pie-

foieiitidl tauft In this affan of the Army s meat contiact. New Zealand has most likely, at the puce, lost nothing tiiat she would have caied to have, but at any late. King Dick has not protested m vain even if it should turn out that he has not giaspea all the facts He has pioelaimed and advertised the ability of Australia and New Zealand to furnish all the meat and pioduco supplies that are needed And he has cxpiessed m very plain English the idea that the colonies have first claim upon the Imperial Government when it has any supplies to older fiom abioad PTence, it i-s up to us to pipctise what we preach