Rangitikei Advocate. TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1907. EDITORIAL NOTED

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8700, 8 January 1907, Page 2

Rangitikei Advocate. TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1907. EDITORIAL NOTED

A eecent return showed that in the two years ending July 31, 1906, New Zealand imported 8089 tons of potatoes and the duty paid was over £IO,OOO. Commenting on these figures the New Zealand Herald says “ this means that Government has taxed the potato consumer to the extent of £SOOO per year.” This statement is true as far as it goes but fails entirely to demonstrate the real tax on the people which protective duties produce. The average duty paid on potatoes during the two years referred to was about 25s per ton and owing to the duty every one who sold New Zealand potatoes was able to charge 25s a ton more for them than he would have been able to do had there been no duty keeping out foreign potatoes. On referring to the Year Book we find that the average amount of potatoes grown in the colony and retained for human consumption was 4491 b per head per annum. In the years referred to owing to the high price it is probable that far less than this quantity was consumed. If we as-

sums that only half, the average amount was ©atea we shall .be well within the mark. This gives us 2cwt per head or 87,000 tons for the colony. These potatoes were sold at 25s per ton dearer than if there had been no duty andwe have to conclude that something like £IOO,OOO more was paid for potatoes than would have been the case had there been no protective tariff. Government therefore secured £SOOO but the people were mulcted of £IOO,OOO. We have referred to the case of potatoes because it is one that appeals to every housekeeper, but when we recollect that almost every article that enters this country is subject to heavy duties, and that an argument similar to the above might be made to apply to boots, clothing and a hundred other articles we must come to the conclusion that the country pays very dearly for the encouragement it gives to our manufacturing industries.

In outlining recently the defence proposals of the Ministry, Sir Joseph Ward stated that in order to encourage civilians and volunteers to perfect themselves in rifle shooting it was proposed to establish miniature rifle ranges in every part of the country. Hitherto no practical steps have been taken in this direction and it is important that the matter should be put in hand before the Defence Minister leaves for England when it will be too easy to reply to demands that nothing can be done till the return of the Minister. We are more anxious that no time should be lost because reports from Sydney speak very favourably as to the results already attained owing to the establishment of similar ranges there. It is already apparent, we are told by a Sydney paper, that the miniature rifle range is the means of swelling the membership of the rifle clubs using the bigranges. “ The membership of nearly every metropolitan rifle club is increasing steadily, the recruits consisting in the main of young men, who owe their connection with the rifle club movement to the facilities afforded by one or other of the miniature ranges established in the metropolis.” It is clear that any increase in the facilities for rifle shooting, especially in the way of inducements for boys and young men to become proficient in the art, means an increase of the number of those who, in case of emergency, could take an active part in the defence of the country. We therefore trust that pressure will be brought to bear on the Minister to put his scheme definitely before the public and to prove that he is in earnest in his professed desire to further the practice of rifle shooting.

The decline in the birth rate is a phenomenon that is to be noticed in all civilised countries. In New Zealand it has been very marked for about 20 years, though during the last two or three years a slight upward tendency has been shown. The danger of a steadily diminishing birth rate is that a point at last is reached whore population diminishes instead of increasing. In France the fall in the birth rate appears to have become permanent, and in many districts of that country the deaths actually exceed the births. |m 1904 the deaths were more numerous than the births in 36 departments or counties, while in 1905 this excess was found in no less than 44 departments. Oyer the whole of France it is true that there is a slight excess cf births over deaths, bpt in 1905 the increase of population owing to this cause was only 88,000. or a rise of about 1 per 1000 in the population. The serious character of the situation becomes apparent when we note that in 1901 Germany increased her population by 862,564; AustriaHungary by 562,000; Great Britain by 475,000 ; and Italy by 387,000. In New Zealand in 1905 there were 17,621 more births than deaths, or a rise of about 20 per of the population. Franco is, in fact, in habited by a dying race, and offers to the world an object lesson of the dangers of a diminishing birth rate.