PROTECTION AND THE FARMERS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2344, 19 July 1887, Page 2

PROTECTION AND THE FARMERS.

TO THE EIIIIOH. In continuation of my last letter, I wish to point out to the electors the great necessity there is at the present time to foster heal industries- Xmv we all know that these are languishing, because the fanners, have very little money to sjsend, consequent ujsm the very low prices they are getting for their produce. Xmv. if only the toueimnent would pass a law, fixing the lowest wholesale selling prices of beef and mutton at of, butter. Is, and cheese ,Sd per lb, wheat as and oats Ns per bushel, jxitatoes id, and chaff id j *-r ton. why, we should soon see a revival of trade. The farmers would lie going in for new waggons, drays, harness and implements of every description ; ejecting new houses and outbuildings; fencing their padd'icks with • posts and wire; buying lots of clothing and ironmongery, kc., instead of as, at present, mending their old harness with string; fastening the tires on the wheels of their drays and waggons with wire; using kerosene tins instead of in n pans and boilers; making wattle fences, and wriggling along with ploughs and implements that ought to be at the bottom of the sea. Why, if this were done, we should have our shoemakers, tailors and storekeepers in fell swing: our agricultural implement makers Would be as busy ns bees. The agricultural lab.urer would get plenty of work with high wages. The arti-ians in „ur towns would be fully employed on account of the increased purchasing powers these prices would give to the people, and everything would go as merry os marriage bell's. The money would be kept in the colony, beeau-e the farmer would never think of buying anv imported article, he would never mind about paying :i trifle extra for anything manufactured in the colony, because it wo.dd I>. keeping the lu onev at home. If protection is h-neficial, then let us have it all round I—Yours truly, John I’.vkh.