CORRESPONDENCE.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 134, 15 March 1873, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

[Wo do not necemnly endorse tli3 opinions expressed by oui conopoudents.J

To the Editor of tho Waikato Times. Si*,— ln the Weekly Hbrald of February 22, under the heading " Auckland Wheat," we.retd, " Wo fail to see why th« masses should be compelled to pa; taxea at the rato of one •hilling.per hundred pounds of \flour for the benefit of those settlera who choose to grow wheat when they confesi 'it don't paj."' I» the Weekly .Herald of March 8, we read, ."-We •hould be glad to be informed by our agricultural friends what ieitent of 'protection' would indue* them to grow as much breadstuff's a& would feed the inhabitants of this province for twelvemonths." Your Auckland contemporary evidently imagines that an agriculturist and freetrader combined is an impossibility ; and his rather general sneer at farmers is, I should conclude, written for circulation in and around Queen itreot. I cannot conceive that his supposition is correct, that the duty is levied on imported breadbtufis for the benefit of those who say wheat growing will not pay, but for thohe who find that it does pay, namely, the southern.. farmers. There can bo little doubt that a protective duty on flour and wheat coming from without the colony must raiseitbe price of that grown within it, and I contend that tho protection in this case is afforded not to the farmers of this province but to those of the south at the expense of the general public. \ As to bow much protection will induce farmers to grow sufficient gram to Fupply the province — protection cannot and will not do it, and w ill only defeat its own ends* Wheat growing will onlj be carried on where it will pay, and it wiU» only pay, or at least will pay best, where-thercis machinery^ and more than all cheaper labour than tan be had at present ; tho latter only to be obtained by reducing the price of living, which protection will never do. As long^as labour can command from five to six shillings a day, it is not to be supposed that the settler will continuo a system of farming which requires so much of it when lie has the alternative of sheep and stock. If we are to.soe gran^. grown in any considerable quantities, ond many other crap^ which aro largely advocated for this province, we must4|k^. see cheaper labour. I do. not mean we must see the labourer in a worse position than he is now, but that a more economical management of public money should admit of a lower taxation on the uccessaries of life, and so enable the labourers to live on less w aged aa comfortably as at present. I .am, &.c, Sam. March, 12, 1873.