FREETRADE FALLACIES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2675, 27 August 1887, Page 2

FREETRADE FALLACIES.

(TO THE fciMTOB.) Sa—Mr Hawkins has said "The,; fallacies aro on the side of Mr Holdaway." We shall see. One of the foundation principles on which - Freetrade dootrine rests, is that tko conditions of exchange aB between the producer and the consumer, and between the consumers and producer should b9 made as easy as possible. The colony is suffering bQoauea we have a 'limited home market. Our surplus produce has toba lent away and sold in foreign markets; the oost of distribution has to be bora by the producer. The Commission Agent, freights, port dueß, ..transit ohargw and all other charges are a heavy lUm and do not add. in any way to the woaltH of the r but are wages .paid out of the total. proceeds realized. The" Colony", is suffering beoauso the goods which are taken in exchange for our produce are manufactured at a distanoe; the conditions of exchange being thereby rendered both-costly and diffioult. The importer takes his profits,, freights have to "bo paid, and other charges are made so that the consumer here often pays from fifty to one hundred per oent more than the, oost at.the manufactory j all wages; paid by the consumer taking from and'not adding to the wealth of the colony.' "Buy in the cheapest and sell in the dearest market," is another FreeMe maxim. The colony is suffering: because we sell-in the, cheapest, and' .buy in the dflarestv Mr Hawkins, himself- feels this for he says:" I ofter tbink that ■we ought to form a company of some sort arid dispense .\vith;v the riddle? •man."' ; Yes,'Mr Hawkins, can) the poor man do that "though ? Demand and supply is their interrelation with eaoh other must'not be. interfered .with, is another Freetrade axiom. The Colony is made to suffer b'eoause often the distributor designedly foists "upon the market foreign made goods in.preference to colonial keeping up and fostering a demand for those goods, because, in most oases .he oan command a larger profit on them than on Colonial made article's. What shall we do with oar boys and girls ? Mr

Coleman Phillips Bays M Send the boys to sea and keep the girls at'home." I say the colony is suffering because too

great a proportion'of our earnings are paid to nonprodueers. We have. to support already an army of civil serya'nts, another army of importers, merchant princes and'their employees, besides' children who are too young to become prospers. Send the boys to. sea ? No, let the boys and girls work to;: add something to the wealth, of the colony. The colony is sufferiiigi because far too small a' proportion of our population are wealtli'..producers,' Employment of. ■••boys : and girls between the ages of, U fourteen and' twenty' year 3is • difficult • to obtain, after leaving aohool they oftenrun the streets. 'Production is'

the pressing necessity of the day,., the laborof all classes must be used and. conserved! Distribution 'is an after" consideration.' The Freetraders.■ say, Protection destroys the shipping interest, does it ? Well, if the production of a greater part of what we consumo can be effected in tho. colony so muoh the bettor; for as I have already endeavored to prove the- cost of exchange is thereby minimized, and labor now employed in direction' in whioh" it cannot add to the wealth of the Colony is set free to be directed into other ohanel6, which will tend to the profit' of the whole .community. Sir,if Protection fallacies remain with ;me,-Freekade anomalies remain with Mr Hawkins, and it is time thai both Protection., and Freetraders shoulcVmeet on the prioiple of the "greatest good to tho greatest number," aud on that principle, labor for tho common good. I am, etc., Chas. Holdawayl