Reciprocity.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7074, 21 February 1893, Page 2

Reciprocity.

(Otago Daily Times Auckland correspondent) Amongst the passengers by the Waihora from Sydney was Mr W, J. Harris, a member of the United Empire Trade League and a gentleman who for years in England has identified himself with the movement for keeping alive agriculture in the old country by just go protecting it as to allow of its being carried on with some hope of a little profit to the farmers. Mr Harris, who is travelling with his daughter, intends touring the colonies with a view to sa'isfying himself as to the capacity for food production which ttuy possess. For many years he has been a pronounced but moderate Protectionist. During 1884 85 he sat in the House of Oom mons for Poole, Dorsetshire. His proposals involve a duty to start with of 5s per quarter of 86 bushels on all foreign corn, except maize, entering British ports allowing colonial corn to enter free. He would also allow colonial meatanddairy produce toenter free,aiazbeing imposed on all foreign imports of a like nature In this way he calculates the New Zealand farmer might reasonably expect to get 4d to 6d per bushel advance on wheat, barley, and oata, and id to Jd per lb on mutton and beef, and something more on dairy produce sent to England. Recognising, however, that now countries absolutely require to foster industries, he simply proposes that there should be between Great Britain and Greater Britain such an arrangement of the tariff as would be beneficial to both. In ans-I wer to a Herald reporter, Mr Harris spoke !

as follows The fact of the matter is that the agricultural interest in England is very nearly ruined. There can be no doubt whatever that during the last five years the tenant farmer has been living on his capital. The landlords have been more independent than tenants, because more and mors of the land in England is down in grass. Ho can get as much for the grazing as he could get from the tenants, who are thus unable to live on the land, while the labourers are driven into the already congested towns to swell a population that wants reducing. It will be in evidence to yea, and an answer to your question as to whether (he feeling for Protection is growing, that at the Agricultural Conference a resolution was passed in favour of it." “Of course you give due weight to the objections raised against taxing food supplies ? ” ‘ Most certainly, and I and those who think with me also bear in mind whence those food supplies come. One of the objects which decided me to come to the colonies was to try and ascertain how far our colonies are capable of affording those supplies. I believe they can do so without the slightest difficulty. "I am perfectly well aware that America and other countries will still go on sending food to England. They must send it, but why should not an import duty be put upon it so as to give the colonies the best of the entry ? The consumer in England would not have to pay so much more, while the whole colony would p-ofit." “ But though that may be good for England, how would it affect a colony, ray New Zealand ? " . “If we put a 5s duty oq. corn," was the response to this query, “it would raise the price in England about 3s, or if we put Id a lb on meat it would raise the price id —that is supposing colonial produce were allowed in free ? The price would certainly bo better in the colonies, and would that not benefit them. And why should there not be this tax? For every sovereign Great Britain spends with the United States the latter only spends with her 6-i Bd. I hold that the mother country should give the colonies the , preference, but the colonies must return that by giving us the preference.” “ You mean by that there should be a reciprocal tariff P” “ I do. Mind, Ido not say British goods should come into the colonies free. Far from it But Ido think Britain should have the preference. Let there be a mutual understanding that if, say, New Zealand meat or produce is allowed into England under a more favourable tariff than America, British produce should have a preferential tariff in New Zealand.”