THE GOVERNMENT AND THE FARMERS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1614, 30 July 1887, Page 4

THE GOVERNMENT AND THE FARMERS.

Dealing with this most important subject when speaking at Christchurch recently, Sir Julius Vogel said The freetraders had been going about the country telling the farmers that the Government had proposed to tax agricultural implements. Now this was simply not true. They had not done so, but had proposed to admit them free, and also parts of agricultural machinery. The Government had always recognised the large amount of consideration to which the farmers were entitled, not only through the tariff, but also' by means of the construction of roads and bridges. The prosperity of the cities and centres of population depended a great deal on the prosperity of the farming community, and it had also always been recognised that in a young country where men were called upon to undergo considerable hardships in the remote portions of the country that they were entitled to consideration as the pioneers *f civilisation. (Hear, hear.) Now he would refer to the existing tariff, and would quote from it some articles to show that it was highly favourable to the farmer. For instance, there was 9d the 1001 bon grain of all kinds; 1s the 1001 b on flour; 2s the bushel on malt; and 6d per lb on hops. When they came to consider that they admitted cornsaoks and all kinds of agricultural machinery free, it appeared to him that there was but little margin left for further benefit to the farmers through Custom House. The proposed Customs Duties Bill not only maintained these duties, but included the following charges in the direction of further benefiting the farmers Apples (dried), increased from Id to 2d per lb ; cornflour, from Is the 100 to l|d per lb, or 12s 6d per 1001 b; starch from 3s per cwt to Id per lb ; fruit, preserved, from 15 per cent, to 20 pet cent, ad valorem; green fruit, now free, to 6 per cent, ad valorem ; fruit, boiled or partially preserved, now free, to Id per lb; meats, potted and preserved, from 15 percent, to 20 per cent, ad valorem; milk, preserved, from 15 per cent, to 20 per cent, ad valorem; mustard, from Id to 2d per lb ; pickles, from 9d per dozen ; to Is 6d per dozen; vegetables, fresh from free to 10 per cent, ad valorem; vegetables, preserved, from 15 per cent, to 20 per cent, ad valorem ; seamless calico bags, for frozen meat, from 15 per cent, to free ; and strychnine, which was largely used bj the farmers for poisoning small birds, from 16 per cent, to free. (Cheers.) Could it be said, he asked, when they looked at the list he had referred to that the Government had overlooked the interests of the farmers? (Cheers.) He said it was not right that large importers should go into the country and tell them that the Government had passed these duties for the benefit of the denizens of the cities, and that the interests of the farmers had been entirely overlooked. (Hear, hear.) He (Sir Julius) would go further, and say to the farmers that it was far more to their interest to cultivate a market for their produce in the colony (Cheers)— rather than bo dependent solely upon the Home one. Let them learn this, and not he'd the idea that their prosperity was of necessity solely bound up in those who export and import. (Cheers.) Ho bad had a return prepared from which it appeared that the amount expended for fresh meat, vegetables, and other produce came to some 6£ millions. He would ask the farmers whether it would not be belter for them, as well as for the colony generally, to do this and have the colony prosperous, than to be entirely dependent on what they would get for their produce in foreign markets. (Cheers.) As regards borrowing, Sir Julius Vogel said he had been accused of being the great Apostle of borrowing. (Cheers and laughter). Now, he held in his hand a return showing the expenditure of Government money by several administrations, v'z., those of Major Atkinson, Sir George Gray, and himself. The periods Major Atkinson and himself rather overlapped, because for two years they were in the same Government. During the nine years he (Sir Julius) had been iu office since the public works policy had been introduced, he had expended £13,500,000 of loan money, whi'st Major Atkinson, in eight years, hud spent fourteen and a half millions. (Cheers). His average was one and a half millions per annum, and tbit of Major Atkinson £1,781,000. He did not attach much importance to the return, because the expenditure might have been increased by Parliament, and for works which were required, but it was an answer to the insinuations which were continually and so freely thrown out against him that he was far more inclined to borrow than other administrations. (Cheers). Regarding the "Rabbit Pest,” Sir Julius Vogel said he had been looking into the question lately, and it seemed to him that Canterbury was threatened with an Invasion of rabbits which would reduce by one half the carrying capacity of the land. He need only point to the examples of Southland and Otago to show the evil effects of the pest. Some years back these districts exported 46 per ceat. of the total value of wool for the colony. Now it had fallen to 25 per cent., and all this was due to the incursion of the rabbits which bad taken place there. In view of the importance of dealing with the matter without any of the delay which had taken place ebewhere, and which was to some extent responsible for the damage done, the Government had taken the responsibility of ordering netting to be brought out in anticipation of Parliamant dealing with the question on an nmp'e reale. (Hoar, hear). He could only hope that ihey would not allow such desolation on the Canterbury Plains as had occurred in Otago and Southland. (Hear, hear).