Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1895.

Te Aroha News, Volume XII, Issue 1757, 7 August 1895, Page 2

Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1895.

In the course‘pit: the financial statement before thO/EEouee • of Representatives the Hoh J. G. Ward gave some particulars re terrhs of treaty between Canada and New Zealand and South Australia and this colony. In the event ol the. house approving of the scheme there, will be a free market .between Canada and New Zealand for wool . and woollen manufactures, blankets, flaunels, ; tw;eedß, rugs, live stock, frozen and fresh meat, bacon and. hams, ‘ fish', hides, 'condensed' or preserved milk, flax,, barley, oats, wheat, flour, seeds, binder twine, coal, kerosene .oil, Safes, organs and pianofortes, - tallow, lumber, .and timber. Should a duty be placed in New Zealand upon agricultural implements, they are to be admitted :free from Canada, and a concession/ of two and a-half per cent'- below tho general tariff rates is also provided upon twine of all . kipfl, ropes’and. cordage. To enter into any'such Canada would not only prove disastrous to the commerce- of- the . .colony., in' • the,. lines referred to, but we should have to en' counter the retaliation of the United States,- . on account of. the jealousy : which oxißta between them., and the I Dominion.,’ and 'as 'a natural consequence; the market there would be closed to our North Island staple product. Kauri gum, "of which we export about £461,432 Worth annually, principally- to ■" the States. To admit Canadian fish, fruits, timber, etc; would, mean to kill our/own trade and throw many families out of employment who aro .at’ present dependant ! upon these. industries' as a means of ' livelihood, we cannot possibly compete with the large manufacturers' with their improved facilities and cheap labour,' With reference to the South Australian treaty we learn that colony, agrees to accept, free of duty, barley, oats, horses and hops, and. New Zea--land likewise agrees to accept, free of duty, wine, olive oil, dried and fresh fruits, aud salt' of South Australia. The principle product in which it would'affect us would be the competition' with South Australian fresh and dried fruits. During; the last few years we have bebn giving attention to the dried?'fruit industry.. The Auckland -Fruit aiid Yegetablo.Evaporating Company, have entered into competition with the imported article with a fair amount of success so long as the duty remains, but remove that and our : fruit preserving industry which is yet | in its infancy, biff still showing vigor- , bur signs of life and capable of .becoming an important-branch of commerce; will then become a relic of the .past. Then again Australia will be able to send over their main crops of fruits jpst at that season of. the year when our northern orchardists are getting fair, prices and a good .market for their early fruit, to rob them of'the pick of the season would'be .disastrous to the . We.are pleased to see that the Auckland Chamber of Commere has taken up the matter with, a view of protesting strongly againstboth the Canadianand the. South Australian treaty, and resolutions equally condeming both were passed unanimously at its present meeting. . ' Of course the treaty is as yet only in its,initial stages and has to be ratified by Parliament. We learn that pressure is being brought -to bear on the Auckland members to vote against the treaty; as it is absolutely impossible, for us to enter into competition with either Canadian- timber, fish,, etc ,' or’thO'Australian fruit, woollen goods, etc., as the conditions as to labour and facilities are.not equal. Wo sincerely hope the Parliament. will not .commit the country to any such, disastrous legislation. In the event of such passing we say adieu to many of our most promising industries. ': '