The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 1881

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 755, 29 April 1881, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 1881

In one of his late speeches Mr George Beetham referred to the struggle that was about to take place between free trade and protection in the colony, and he took the opportunity to declare himself a free trader. In this he has our general support, for situated as New Zealand is, free trade with all the world is a necessity to our prosperity. We were not prepared to find that a struggle was so imminent, yet the course of events has been leading up to the consideration of the question. In giving a general support to the side of free trade certain doubts still require settlement, and we have dipped into Mongredien, the latest recognised authority, in order to find their solution. We much regret that the 'solution is not there, and we have turned away regretfully from this latest disciple of a still incomplete science, the question of "Local industries in a young colony" not being at all satisfactorily settled, In chapter seven," Protection applied to Young States," Mongredien overlooks two things—the amount of fresh capital constantly flowing in from outside and seeking employment, and the benefit to the youth of the colony in finding an outlet for their labor in the towns, He says" Some few of the articles hitherto obtained from abroad in exchange for the staple commodities of the young country are, at any cost, to be raised or manufactured at home, and the export of the staple commodities lessened in proportion, The capital and labor which are now working with admirable results are to be abstracted from commodities so cheap and good (in our case this means wool and corn) that, foreign countries willingly buy them, and to be devoted to the production' of-.commodities so dear and bad thai in . order to compel the native consutierHo buy them the importation of the: same arfciclea from

Tory duties. And who is it that "is benefitted by the policy f And 31ongreilien answers-No one. Is hei right 1 There are cases in" these, colo-: nies in which a woollen mill has been: established Svith outside capital, and the cloth made found to-be superior to; the English cloth. Yery little of our own capital was used, and. a. couple ,of hundred young people found mean? of employment at the mill. W'ekiidw of a case of a mill owner who came purposely to New Zealand to start such a mill, Surely the export of our staple commodities are not lessened in such a case to our disadvantage. Our capital is still at our command to lay down more grass, and grow more wool, whilst many of the young people are viistly benefited. Mongredien somewhat narrowly bases liisbook upon the sole question of imports and exports, and, like the rest of the economic philosophers, ignores, or rather does not attach sufficient importance.to those concurrent social questions, varying in degree with each particular country. In our own case we are compelled to be protectionists, in consequence of the Government having to raise a large revenue through the Customs. England in having lent us large sums, expects us to find the interest, She absolutely hurts her own trade thereby, and leaves us a fair opening under v hich to erect mills without falling under the general errors of protection. Let lis consider another case—that'of the timber trade. Mr Beetham admitted that in the case of timber production it was absolutely necessary to impose a slight protection duty, in order to allow our own mills to compete with foreign timber, our forests to be used, and bush cleared, In this all sensible men will agree, yet the great writer avoids these questions, Still, our readers must not fall into the opposite extreme, and think all local industries beneficial. A bonus on tho production of sugar from beet or taxing sugar to grow beet is a very serious mistake, while close at hand there are so many lauds thoroughly adapted to grow sugar and exchange it for our farm produce. So, too, in the case of wine, A slight encouragement by way of bonus to any local industry peculiarly adapted to the natural productions of the colony is, in oar opinion, the modification we should attach to Mongredien's able essay. AVe might, for instance, besome large exporters of pulp from flax, and in such a case the colony would be justified in granting a bonus. Flax is in large supply, and the conversion into pulp is simple. Yet a bonus on the production of olive oil would be erroneous for many years to come, until olive trees are more plentiful. So, too, is the bonus offered by the Government in a late Gazette upon silk. " 50 per cent on the value realised for the first £IOOO with cocoons produced in the colony." When the colony produces the cocoons the Hon. Thomas Dick, let us hope, will be immortal, Linseed oil cake, and starch are also doubtful items, yet bonuses have been offered for their production, Sulphuric acid, earthenware, and now phos- ; phorus, are more likely productions, which require encouragement. In such cases wo do not object to a bonus, although we shouli,! have something to say touching a direct protective tax through the customs. At present our 1 custom taxation is imposed for purely revenue purposes, though we should be glad to see the duties lessened, and our ports rendered as free as Sydney. But this means paying off the public . debt, and cannot be discussed in this short article, With free ports New Zealand can compete with ' Sydney,.and command a largo trade, In the mean time wo dissent from Mongredien, and do liot object to a slight encouragement to those industries 3 which aro founded upon a large natural r and easy supply.

Wo have received from Mr Alderdice, the Wellington agent, a copy of a big new weekly, published in Melbourne, and called the Federal Australasian.

The next quarterly licensing meeting is fixed in this district for Tuesday, June 7th. All applications must be lodged by the 16th of May.

Mr R. Brown is authorised by tisement to collect all accounts due to Mi Andrew Oockburn.

The Masterton Highway Board gives notice of its intention to strike a rate of one shilling in the pound,

An accident happened on Wednesday to Mr King, of the firm of Bowry and King, by which his collar bone was dislocated and severe bruises inflicted. He was moving a flitch of timber at the sawmill when he slipped and fell, the log rolling over . him. Dr Hosking was sent for, and did what was necessary for the sufferer, who is now rapidly recovering from the effects of the mishap.

On the arrival of the City of Sydney at Auckland the Hon Frederick Whitaker, J, M. Clarke (Mayor), Seymour George, M.H.R., and several ladies who had known Lady Gordon in Auckland or Fiji, proceeded in the Customs launch to meet her ladyship. Lady Gordon, with Misses Gordon, Captain Knollys (A.D.O. to Sir Arthur Gordon), and her suite were conveyed in the launch to the wharf, where a' carriage was waiting, in which Lady Gordon and family proceeded to Onehunga, reaching there about two o'clock. The Hon the Attorney-General having arrived shortly before, escorted her Ladyship down the the wharf and on board the Hinemoa. Lady Gordon and family remained on board the steamer all night, and left next day for Wellington. We intimated in our last issue that the woll-known names of Riddiford and Wardell would be united that day by marriage, The ceremony came off yesterday at Featherston, the officiating minister being the Rev A, Balbwachs, S.M. The bridal party consisted of first the bride, Miss Beatrice Wardell, second daughter of the Resident Magistrate of this district, and secondly the bridegroom, Mr Richard Riddiford, of Te Awaite, a. representative of one of the oldest families in the Wellington Provincial District, Miss Lizzie Bidwill, Miss Theresa Wardell, Miss Lola Bidwill, Miss Maud Wardell, and Miss Maud Bunny were bridesmaids, and Messrs D, Riddiford, W. 0, Bidwill, and Pratt.the groomsmen. In addition there were some thirty guests, and our reporter declares that the beautiful dresses, the decorations, and the flowers were altogether beyond his power to describe,. After the wedding break-, fast the bride; . and; bridegroom were escorted to the . railway station—which was gaily decorated in honor of the event —by a:perfecV boat'of 'friends, and proceeded: to Wellington bv. the afternoon

' Messrs' Bapp and Hare, Hall-atreet, advertise five tuns of cocksfoot grass seed for sale, \

; ' On Wednesday a fire in thi Fnatheraton cemetery -did considerable damage to headboards and fencing. No one knew ;how'it originated, but the dry grass must in.som'e way of another have been ignited, Ihe opening match of the Masterton Football Club will be played to ; morrow'in Mr Druminnnd'B paddock. A general faceting of the Club will be held the same evening at the Empire-Hotel, at 8 p.m., fcr the election of captain and general business. The Carterton school committee meet this evening to enquire into the cause of the fire at the schoolhouse. a week or.so ago. Mr Potts is the'successful tenderer for the alterations and-additions to the school at £495.

F. H. Wood & Co. report the following sales yesterday at Tauherenikau 150 sheep at 1& 6d, sold to Mr Gear; 120 store do at 5s 10d, sold to Mr H, R. Bunny ; 150 do 4s 3d, to Mr Anderson; 5 head fat cattle to Mr Vile at SS>; 1 horse £lslos, to Mr H, R. Bunny; and 19 store cattle at. £L 2s Gd, There waß a large number of persons at the sale, but very few buyers. .

Mr R, Elliotte, according to instruclions, had the committee room at the White Hart Hotal, Carterton, ready yesterday for the meeting of the chairmen of the various Boards of Rabbit Trustees in the County, but no sitting took place,, owing to the paucity of attendance. Doubtless this may be laid down to the inclemency of the weather, as it has been raining almost without cessation the whole day.

Farmers in the Wairarapa have lost no

time in taking advantago of the present mild rain. Men sowing grass seed might, be seen on nearly all the farms in the neighborhood of Masterton, and also at the Taueru, and Bideford, No doubt the same thing iB being done in the Whareama and Lower Valley districts. We understand that grass seed has not been easily procurable in Masterten lately, but there is now probably enough in hand to supply all demands. The Hinemoa, with Lady Gordon, accompanied by the Misses Gordon and Captain Knollys (A.D.C. to Sir Arthur Gordon), arrived in the harbor about 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon, and hnchorqd in Worser Bay until 2.30 pm, His Excellency Sir Arthur Gordon rode out to the Pilot station, and went, on board the Hinemoa by the pilot boat. At 3 p.m. the Hinemoa steamed up to the Queen's Wharf, where the Wellington Guards attended as a guard of honor. A large number of the public were present, and there was an extensive display of bunting in honor of the occasion.

Lord Campbell (says the Law Times) was a tutor, a dramatic critic, a reporter in the gallery, a law reporter, a pupil in a Header's chamber, a barrister, a Queen's Officer, an Irish Chancollor, Chief Justico of England, Lord Chancellor., He made a happy marriage, had a united family, devoted children', a long life, and a painless death. What more could mortal man expect or desire ?

The greatest prizes of English _ clerical life, from a pecuniary point of view are the head masterships of the great public schools. Those of Eton and Harrow aro worth from to £7OOO a year, and those of Westminster, Winchester, Rugby Charter house, and Merchant Tailors are worth from £2400 to £4OOO a year, including the spacious abodes attachedto them. The heads of college at Oxford and Cambridge do not, for the most part, receive nearly as much.

We hear from reliable authority it is the intention of Messrs Schroder, Hooper & Co. to make their first grand display of Autumn and Winter Millinery, Drapery, and Clothing at tho Hall of Commerce, on Saturday, March 19th, consisting of 71 packages and bales. As the bulk of their magnificient stock has been imported direct from the manufacturers, tho public can rely upon obtaining all the latest fashions and designs of the seasou at extremely low prices. We would advise all purchasers and lovers of fashion to make an early call at the Hall of Commerce and inspect their stock. Their advertisement will be found on tho front page of this paper.—[Advtl. The election for the Town Trust, Masterton yesterday oreated very little exoitement, The voters' list contains over 600 names, but scarcely more than 100 of these exercised their privilege. The result was the return of the two retiring members-rMessrs Feist and Perry. The voting was—Feist, 57; Perry, 54; Bish, 40.