CORRESPONDENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81844, 11 September 1906, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

RECIPROCITY': A STEP TO WARDS A UNITED STATES 01 THE PACIFIC.

To the Editor. Sir, —Reciprocity, which means the opening up of wider trade or commercial relations with our great Con tinental neighbour with its 5,000,000 of a population, is a step towards the federation of the English race 'n the Pacific under one Government, including- Fiji. I'll is colony, like France, wiil carry a large population of smalll farmers who will want a near market for their products, and 1 predict, Sir, that in time this uolony will have turbihe cargo steamers carrying our produce a,t tow rates to the sister colonies, iuv'.ping to take away the deserted appearance of some, of our harbouis and expensive breakwaters. Germany assists her exports by bonuses; we should do likewise. I he breadwinners of this colony engaged in the leading industries in 1903 number as fololws-: Persons. Mining 17,816 Industrial! 101,184 Agricultural &7,5i2 Pastoral 21,410 1 he mining and industrial classes being in the majority, it is only right that any measure which tends to cheapen food to these should have consideration. We are allowed to trade with 5,000,000 persons in Australia, and in return we can only present 1,000,000 customers here, therefore \yc are offered a very large market for our sur plus products. This treaty, if passed, wall perpetuate the late Rt. Hon. R. J. Seddon's memory in the minds of the people, as the lowering of the prices of raisins, currants, sugar, flour, eggs, fruit, and olive oil to tile workers and the opening up of larger markets to the farmers will be of more use to the colony than a concrete thought in marble. It behoves every elector who wishes the country to prosper to watch how his iepresentative in the House votes on this important measure of cheaper food and wider markets.—| am etc., S. PEARSON. P.S.—At the present time it may be wise to exclude Hour and sugar from the treaty and tc place potatoes 011 the free list. Cuba-street, Wellington, September 8, iyo(j.