CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2708, 23 September 1887, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

mastertonebegtion!

. . ,/• (To the Editor,) ; tSin,—As I have detehnmed.not,'to lold another meeting before the eleo-. ion, I take this opportunity, with 'our permission, to address a few vords to., the.electors, of;the Mastertod* iistrict. I sliall,' 'as t• have. done Hroughout this contest, i avoid perlocalities ■ as far "as possible. Re . Mi ..Protection,;. ;,Ihis luestion has beon well- discussed luring the contest. I am glad to lote that the. result has been, as I mticipated, that the tide that at s'rst appeared to lead in the direction >f Protection, is' how flowing strongly icwards Freetrade. This iB to some ixtent owing to'the inconsistencies ;hat are. so readily observed in Mr Sogg's leaders and speeohes. For nstance, Mr Hogg stated Protective Duties will cause a certain demand "or our surplus labor/ Yet in the lame breath he states that directly ;he British Manufacturer hears that Protective duties are established, and iiis manufactures are prohibited, he will paok up and start for New Zealand and bring his skilled workmen ivith him. Again, Protective duties will prevent the arrival of manufactured goods, and circulate all the money used in the course of manufapkurfiwithinthe colony. Thisproposition he denies himself' when' answering a leader in tho Evening Post that stated that tho fact of our ocean steamers having freight only one way must increase the 'freight charged on our exports. .This proposition he answered in one of his leaders in the "Star" by stating that Protection would not stops imports. The word not was particularly ' emphasised by being printed in italics. What could be more hollow than such arguments. If Protective duties would not prohibit imports, the effect must be to increase enormously the cost of the articles, the value of the imported goods, with duty and expenses added, naturally fixing the selling value of the manufactures, either British or Colonial. There can be no doubt that a Customs tariff is a necessity for revenue purposes—a fairly estimated duty carefully imposed—so as not to tax raw materials used'in our manufactures, or necessary 'articles that we are incapable of producing ourselves, such as cottons, etc., ought'tc be sufficient inducement to establish local industries.' This is proved bj the rapid' expansion of our manufaC' turing industries under, the' present tariff.. If the duties, are increased the chief burden must fall on the working man, and yet there are some amongst the working classes who consider Protection would be their, salvation Monopolies are always destructive tc the advance of a nation's true interests Capitalists may benefit 'themselves under Protection for a time; but th( consumers must pay the piper. ■ Tlx Stout-Yogel Government ought nevei tohave leaaend the Property Tax wliev it was patent to the majority of tlx House of Representatives that the fmanoes of the Colony, did not warraiil a reduction;' At . the same period .thej also advocated an increase of the dutj on tea. The Tariff Bill was throwi •out, in consequence, by the Opposition Yet now the Ministers themselves ant their'candidate supporters say .a .ta: on tea is a plank of the Opposit'ioi platform., The advancement of Not Zealand and the happiness of al classes will be best gained by carefull; husbanding our resources and indue ing immigration of small capitalists ti help us to bear our. burdens and ti assist in the settlement of our wast lands. No man has taken, mor interest in the settlement of the Wast' lands than I have for some years past Every acre of laud that is held ii profitable occupation lessens' the bur dens of every inhabitant of the colony If we settle our land with eifect, trad and manufactures will assuredl; follow as a natural consequence. I has been stated during this contes that I have been instrumental in in creasing the upset price of the Crowi Lands. Mr Ballance in 1885 raiset the upset price of land from 10s to 20i against my protest. The Wellingtoi Land District appeared to be especially singled out by Mr Ballance in thii matter,, other districts, Auckland Napier, Nelson, and Marlborough is permitted to fix the, upset prici of the land at even ss, but the Wei ling.ton Land Board is denied the privilege.. It has been stated that j have been anxious to allow the Manga tainoko block to pass into the hands o speculators. Mr Ballance lays claim to the credit of preventing this lane beingsoldto speculators by the natives The fact is that an embargo, wai placed in this block fully ten years age and no private .individual could pro perly deal with the land; With respeo to economy, I am as earnest as any one in my wish for true economy, bu not in favor of " penny, wisdom ant ponnd foolishness.", I believe that th( present circumstances of the Colonj demand that we should still continui to borrow money to assist in the de velopment of our resources. But th< greatest care must be exercised tha the money is carefully expended or only, reproductive works, The amount to be borrowed should not exceed ii my impression £500,000 per annum A considerable portion of- this monei should beexpended through the agenc; of " the local bodies whose interes would be to take care that the monej would. Be expended in useful works Mr Balance's "Land -Acquisitior Bp'has done much to intensify- th< depression .from -which the colony, ii now suffering. This'Bill, with 14 th( Native Land Administration 'Act" liai diverted energy and capital from Nev Zealand*,. From my . own, knowiedgt large sums oLmpney are being with drawn,from the colony - owing to tlx plainly expressed intention .of certain o our legislators to tamper with the tenuri of land thereby destroying the. confi dence hitherto felt in' the indefeasabii character of a Crown Grant. Li somi cases, we npw refuse to give a free hold to a small settler, but bind hin to the land in a most unjust manner All, this, . empirical legislation '1 seriously effecting our position as a de airable colony for future " settlement We should, as our Agent-General eayi

offer terms such as other colonies are .capitalists. 'He says the'settlement clauses have deterred many' from -making New Zealand their home'. I fear much that these difficulties will •increase unless the electors determine to elect representatives. who will be careful to place in office; public; men possessed of more common sense and •less-desire- for- notoriety than' our Ministers appear to have at present., Empirical, legislation -will not save New Zealand. Inducing labor to place itself in opposition to capital will not mend matters. Employers and workmen should bear with each other through'- these unprecedented hard times. The workmen should remember that if the farmer cahriot profitably employ his capital, that the wages fund at his ■ disposal' must necessarily,be small, The' 1 farmer is to be pitied, not blamed,- because the market for all the .land produces is depressed. Wehave had periods of depress flion before which have passed away, let us hope-that this will be the base again. In the meantime'let us endeavor to bear each others burdenß trustfully, and also cultivate the virtue of economy, that so many : of us of all classes are so slow tc appreciate. Let -us emulate the industry oftb American couutry settler, lot each household make their own' candies, soap, preserves,; growits own fruit, dress less expensively, each housewife, vieing with her - neighbors>in, the simplicity and- neatness of the household, and of - the apparel of the: family. If attention is drawn to the necessity for economy of this nature, we may perhaps learn an (instructivelesson taught us by the- present time of adversity. ■ I cannot bring myself to believe that New Zealand with its magnificient climate, its grand posi-' tion in the Southern seas, can remain behind in the onward march of civilisation, .1. believe we shall instead take a first, rank in the future. What we need is care in the choice of men to guide the footsteps of our young community into safe paths ; men that will conserve' the interests of—not classes or cliques—but of every class amoDgst us, It is difficult to predict who may be the leaders of the new Parliament, but I doubt not men will be found capable of guiding our destinies firmly and 'wisely. If the confidence of the electors of, .Masterton is again afforded me ■ on- this occasion, I gladly promise .that my' time shall be placed at their : disposal, and that no attention shall be .wanting on my part to the duties , and responsibilities of a. representative. I am, Sir, pleased to observe the way my old friends have' ,rallied around me' throughout this contest. The evident interest they-.' have evinced the eleotior is • undoubted evidence to,me that, the result at the poll will be favorable to "me. -I can assure them l 'that whether successful'! or not, I shall never forget - the kind hearty treatment I have received from all classes throughout this long contost. I leave myself confidently in the bands of,my friends, and I have no doubt that I shall have another oppor-. tunityrto thank them for their kindness.- ; ' I am, etc., •' Geoiwe Bebthah. •