The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1884.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4918, 14 October 1884, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1884.

The first principles of satisfactory government and the healthy development of s young country should be laid on a sound solid foundation, and one of the elements of such a foundation should be the fostering of its natural industries. The consideration of so vital an item in connection with, it shsuld not be left to " younger folk," as was recently suggested—it must have been playfully—in the columns of a contemporary. A long period of bitter regret, at the folly which refused to learn from the experience of other countries, has not as yet commenced its melancholy reign in our colony, although a system of protection has for years obtained within our land, and we, even now, have the temerity to advance a bold assertion of the necessity of still protecting our manufactures, fostering our industries, and guarding the interests of our artizans and skilled tradesmen in connection with our natural advantages. Such things are a colony's capital. A multiplicity of personal interests will naturally arise in antagonism to any proposal to offer pro* tection to a particular industry, and doubtless in an individual case some small hardship may obtain, but such a case is of no moment when a broad issue is con-, side-red. In the mouths of those opposed to protecting a colony's products, " The United States of America," " England's greatness," and other stock phrases are at hand with a glibness quite stunning, until one comes to think over them. It seems to be entirely forgotten that these great powers—as we may call them—Lave made themselves in times when competition was not as rife as now, and even then they did not go without protection. The absurdity of instancing the two greatest manufacturing countries in the world—as is frequently done —in pointing out, or rather in endeavoring io show how England and America Lave suffered from Proteclion, has long ago been demonstrated. England has never had to face the rivalry, in manufactures, that her ■colonies have known. America has not during her lifetime had to contend with the competition that sho Las herself caused, and other couutries havo endeavored also to keep pace with the advances made by these two great manufacturing powers. Therefore it is idle to prate about the folly of a young colony taking steps to protect its own industries. A country's industries are its vitals—it lives by them, in them, and with them. An argument might be adduced by way of a fable. An old ram met a home capitalist, and a local buyer, and both offered the same price for his fleece. "Ah ! well,"said the local buyer, " I caoEOt offer more." " I can," said the home buyer, and he bought it. The ram called him aside, and asked him how ifc was. 11 You sec," said the home man, " I can, by the aid of improved machinery, cheap JftboVaud many uther ayeeesspries, turn all

your wool into money ; there is no waste." All this "turn out" of the colony is returned to us manufactured, yet by the aid of protection we should be able to utilise this same material, uao improved machinery, and have do waste. To do I this, manufactories in their infancy re quire tender nursing, and the only way to keep up their vitality ia by way of a pro tective tariff. The word has doubtless been distasteful ever since its first effects j were felt, but it is beyond a doubt that it is necessary, and we mast perhaps brave old world prejudices, even though they attempt to interfere with a rational policy. Wheu the thousand and one manufactories established in Great Britain and America have their similes firmly estab lished in this colony ; when the infantile industries of this favored land have reached maturity; when the unbouaded natural wealth of the colony has enabled it to take ifs place amongst nations as a producer; then, and then only, can it copy the lines followed by the older coun . tries, whose policies thoughtless and ignorant counsellors would induce it to , now take pattern by. Until New Zealand's natural resources are more fully de veloped, she cannot depart from protection.