SIR J. VOGEL ON PROTECTION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1520, 2 December 1886, Page 4

SIR J. VOGEL ON PROTECTION.

Dunedin, Novemder 29. >•; An address was delivered ia the Lyo.um Hsllthii ,/vening by Sir J. Vogel, undei* the auipiees.ot'the reoently-formed Protection ;Le»gae,v';Thfl building was well filled, Messrs Bracken, Downie Stewart, and Gore, member* foe Dunedin, occupied 86|U on tbs platform. Sir J. Vogel prefaced hie remarki by eaj.ing that he waa not going to make .a political speech; but would give something in the way of an enay on an economical subject. Pro* bably be would not that evening have a sympathetic audience. The Frees throughout the colony, Oertsinly a large section of it, was not in favour of t v p r 1 ’ n oipl* of protection. Whether it was tbat me Frees had eo firmly taken up the rooted opinions of old, or whether they were sounder in their argument than those who differed from them, he could net say, hni their was no doubt a majority of t ie Press io this colony were in favour of free, trade V'c*?p, Although not a favorie with it he wished to say that th«' Frees throughout he coldl y wae discing da >ed by a great amount of enterprise. 'A* he had stated, he was dot at ‘all certain that he should have a ympatletio audience, because it might be bat he waa not able to go so far in the direction of protection as the Association, which had done him the honour cf .iiking him to make an addfiS* that evening iie would not call himself a thorough-going pro eotionirt, became he gave weight to the arguments of the other side. Freetraders argued that it wae of no consequence to a 'country adopting freeirade whether or not it lost or retained its population, Toat was the fundamental principle running through their argument. He denied that, and he d that the last thing this colony could afford was to be unmindful of the ques'i m of re-t-iit.i gor losing its population. Tne burdens already undertakan were done with the conviction t-ha;. they would be, shared in by a ‘much larger people than those who took the responsibility’ of incurring them. He denied that New South Wales was, strictly speaking, a frsetrade country, and hibtsd tiat in time to come it would figure as a distinguished colony pledged to extreme protection viewe. Every country should adopt views applicable to its own peculiar ’requirements; and; it must not be ■opposed* that fntho** countries krHioh had adopted protection viewe the intelligence i f the Anglo-Saxon race bad degenerated became the example of Great Britain had not beep followed In considering the meanin!glol the tenri protection it should be borne ia mind that Press telegram* were protected* inasmuch >1 for these messages only 6d per hundred words was charged, which did not pay the operator. Other forms of protection to the public were in our eystam of f ee education and the railways, the rates for which were so low that they were not worked at ipl profit pr as a commercial ’undertaking." Although it seemed a paradox, the high rate of wages led not only to more excellent work but to cheeper w rk in the long run. The diminished revenue was not due to local production, but to the diniimshed use of alcohol, and to the fact that the ad valorem duties would yield less because the value of imports was smaller than it had bean for years past. A gentleman who had been,, appointed to report on the bootf and shoes L in “the Oolinderiss ' Exhibition had assured Dr Von Haast that those exhibit* from New Zealand were the beat in the Exhibition, That was not to him. (Sir inline) a matter for surprise, bebshsfe we' had imported into this colony the beet artisans, and it was a misfortune that we were unable to retain in our midst the flower of our population. Canada and Victoria have shown this colony the wisdom of adopting a protection systiU. It would be seen, from what he had said, that he did not consider that freetrade doctrines were sound for this colony, or that it Was desirable they should proceed too rashly in this way, at once...charging prohibitive duties. Local productions should be stima eted by a gradual increase of duties until they showed their fitness to have entire command of the market Although the railway rates did not pay, he would prefer seeing the Customs unties raised, and lower the rates charged on railways.'He thanked; the andieuoe for their kind reception of ah essentially dry subject. fOheers.] ■ . On the motion of Mr Bracken, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Sir Julias for his address.