The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1887. MISREPRESENTATIONS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1636, 20 September 1887, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1887. MISRE PRESENTATIONS.

The “Selfish” party otherwise known as “ the Grain Tax, or Continuous Ministry,” are now trying to frighten farmers with the cry that if we protect out industries and develop our resource, it will result in the stoppage of all commerce, and we shall not get ships to take our grain and wool to England. The argument is so silly that only for the fact that the ponderous Mr Rolleston sometimes hammer* it out to the extreme of absurdity we should not notice it. One real substantial fact is worth a thousand arguments, and, so far as thi* is concerned we have thousands of facts to prove its foolishness. America is the most highly protected country in the world, but its commerce has not been destroyed by Protection, as proved by the following return of her imports and exports given in the Statesman’s Tear Book, 1880, page 664: Year. Imports. Exports,

How is it Protection has not stopped shipping from going to America? Does not this return show that the value of the trade and commerce of America has increased during these ten years by over 200,000,000 dollars?

Does it not require an increased number of ships to carry the increased quantity of goods thus sent out and brought into the country ? Let us next take Canada, a pro* tected colony, from the same book, page 569

Here again we find that not only the exports, but also the imports have increased by about 35,000,000 dollars in 9 years, and thus the shipping of the place has not been destroyed. Victoria is another Protected colony whose trade and commerce have increased enormously. In the same book, at page 900, we find the following imports and exports;—

Here again we find Victoria has increased the value of her imports and exports in five years by over £5,000,000. Victoria must therefore require a much larger number of ships to carry these goods. In the face of these facts how can any one stand up and say “ Protection will destroy our commerce, and we shall have no ships to carry our wheat and wool to England?” After such an exposure as this how can farmers trust the people who tell them falsehoods like this ? Let the farmers ask themselves, “ Have these so-called Freetraders one solid argument on their side ?” They have not, and let no one believe their misrepresentations.

1876 460,640.190 525 582,247 1877 451,307,549 589.669,490 1878 437.051,533 680,709,268 1879 445.777,775 698 340,790 1880 667 953,302 823.946,353 1881 642,664.628 883,925.947 1882 734,639.574 733,239,732 1883 723,180 914 804 223,632 1884 667.697,693 724.964.852 1885 577,527.329 726,682,946

Year. iSxports. Imports. Dole. Dola, 1875 77,886,979 123,070,283 1876 80,966,435 93,210 346 1887 76875,393 99,327.962 1878 79,323,667 93.081,787 1879 71,491,225 81,964,427 1880 87,911,458 86.489,747 1881 98,290,823 105,330,840 1882 102,137,203 119,419,500 1883 98,085,804 132,254,022 1884 91,406,496 116,397,043

Year. Imports, Exports. £ £. 1880 14,556,894 15,954,559 1881 16,718,521 16,252,1' <3 1882 18,748,081 16 193,579 1883 17,743,846 16,398,863 1884 19,201,633 16,050,465