A CHEERFUL VIEW OF THE SITUATION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2452, 29 March 1888, Page 2

A CHEERFUL VIEW OF THE SITUATION.

Al the annual meeting of the Cleveland Chamber of Agriculture, Sir Charles Mark Palmer, who presided, said that the outlook was moat encouraging. It was to other industries they must look for improvement, and when they saw all other industries moving forward, giving employment to the masses of the people, giving them wages to spend, they depeud upon it that that was the true means of improving agriculture. Tf they gave working men good wages and full employment they would spend their wages very largely on food, and it would find its way into the farmer's pockets. The price of grain and cattle must rise as they gave employment to the people. They naturally ask, " What about foreign competition?" Well, he did not fear foreign competition, and he believed that foreigners were as tired of competition as they were. They had seen the price of copper down to £3Q per ton — that, was owing to foreign competition — and the result had been a reaction up to £tjO per ton. He did not say that the position of agricultural produce would gq up ji; th;it proportion, but depend upon it there would lie a reaction, and he trusted it would he a considerable one. He was connectcd with some of the largest industries in the north of li/ngland, embracing coal, shipbuilding, and iron manufactories, and, he might say, that he never knew a brighter prospect for them than in the immediate future.