THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1901.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 114, 12 October 1901, Page 2

THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1901.

When New Zealand, after due consideration, declined to join with the Australian states and form part of a great Australasian Commonwealth, it was anticipated that at the first opportunity she would be made to pay dearly for her temerity. This opportunity has arrived in the framing of the new Federal tariff jnatSaid before the State Parliament. In all cases the tariff is exceedingly high, and. although we will be virtually unaffected in regard to a great number of articles, we will be forced' to-find other markets for several lines, such as potatoes, onions, malt, pats, cheese, bacon and ham. That these are not unconsidered trifles will be shown by the fact that last year our export of cheese tb Australia, reached £50,000, while the export of onions, though only standing at £3OOO, bad .two years before reached £14,000. Oats to the value of £230,000 were exported to Australia last year, but of course the middleman was there, and the ultimate destination of the eereal was South Africa. Hence, It will appear that if we foster the Sonthi-f African trade we will be able eventually to do without the Australian market. Whether they will be able to do without - us is a question they themselves will have to consider. Their climate is not suitable for grow- : ing oats at the best of times, but 1 ..when one .of the frequent | droughts makes its appearance j New Zealand oats and the other j products we have enumerated J will be in demand and must be ! procured, at whatever cost. Of | course it remains to be seen 1 whether the tariff will be some-1 what modified; but even if it is | not the displacement of our ; exports must' be but temporary. ; And a prohibitive tariff induced 1 by pique wUI be still further ■ calculated to make New Zealand 1 glad she elected to stand alone i and Vdrk out her bwndestiny. ‘ %