The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 1888.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2460, 17 April 1888, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 1888.

F.qn.,l ami exact justice!" all mr.ll, Ot whatsoever atatu or persuasion, religious or political.

0 ■ Tub Protectionist Conference which recently met in Wellington lias published tlii! tariff it proposes to adopt in the interests of protection. The duties they desire to place on imports are printed in juxtaposition to the rates imposed under the existing tariff, which in itself is already of a strongly protective character. Since the tarilt'in force came, into operation, many local industries stimulated by its expected effect on oiu.side trade made abortive attempts to start inln being. AViLh very few exceptions they ended in failure by reason of many things, a few of tlieiu being that the so-called industries have been started l>y inen of straw, without cither technical skill, experience, or Hiiiiicieiit capital ; the articles they produced have been, so elinnsy mid execrably inferior to the imported articles Unit it would reipiiro most extraordinary seif-.abnegation and patriotism, to give them tho preference. The/ are not only ill-made,

but dearer with their unconcealed inferiority. For instance, let us take colonial made soaps, which contains about fifty per cent of water, and in a short time after being manufactured, warps, shrinks, becomes distorted in shape, and loses its colour. Are we to sacrifice our cultured tastes, and deny ourselves the use of the delightful and beautifully made Pears' and others of a like manufacture, to gratify the selfishness, incompetence, and greed of local makers who foam at the mouth with rabid humiliations against the (Government and consumers, who will not protect and buy their rubbish. This is one example out of many that could be eeitecl. Local industries require no such bolstering a* protectionists offer ; like other things in the order of' human society, they must be subject to natural, and given laws, amongst which the fixed laws of supply and demand will not always play, the least significant pact. Protection is an unnatural forcing system, the prototype of JEsop's Frog trying to emulate the Bull. Sooner or later such a foolish idea will burst, it will endure for a lengthy term within a great country, such as the United States, full of exceptional conditions that will keep its evil effects in check, but in a small country, differently situated, and in a remote corner of Uie globe, disaster will speedily follow its adoption. With the increase of population, natural opportunities will always show themselves from time to time for the establishment of certain industries, as the improved circumstances of tbe country and actual demands of the people warrant. Time and circumstances only are required, not protection. As it is, an industry starting under excellent auspices has tho greatest of all difficulties to meet with in a country with a limited home consumption, and no exterior markets-, namely, competition. To illustrate our meaning, let us take the rise of the woollen industry in this colony, it lias become successfully established without the aid of protection ; the circumstances and conditions of the country were favourable to its birth. P.i'it whou tlio lir.il mill had been {loaied and won its reputation in the market, behold several others sprang , up in other parts of the colony, thereby reducing the chances of fortune to the pioneers, and inviting failure themselves l>oeauso the local consumption was too limited for the output of so many inauuf.ictories. Wo had the information from the manager of one of the loading factories in the (South Island I hut they wero puzzled how

to dispose- of tlio surplus production of their goods, tlio (loinaiid in tho (iolony being restricted by competition. I'resont circumstances gave rich opportunities for ouo, or even two, woollen factories Leing a complete success, but that tuicross is niiirrod by tlio attempts of competitors. Protection was not needed nor solicited by them, and the excellence of their fabrics has everi enabled them to enter-the British markets. We will instance another industry that has arisen from small beginnings and is now growing rapidly into largo dimensions without tho aid of protection,

and tliat onnis the manufacture of butter cases by Messrs Pond and Co. ,of Auckland. The hour and circumstances wen; favourable, and it sprung into being and has flourished without a wet-nurse. Messrs Pond and Co. are scarcely able to cope with the home and foreign demand for their manufactures. Tho protection idea is one of pure selfishness. It has been adopted by foreign powers in the first instance to destroy the growth of British commercial supremacy, in which they have signally failed, but on the contrary have immensely increased their own internal burdens. It is a favourite tune with our local protectionists to sing the praises of Victoria ; but it is not .said how of late the manufacturers of that colonv have been urging the Go veriiment to still further increase the import duties, as without them the industries of the country have nothing but a lingering death before them. So it will be here, the selfishness of petty manufacturers will always force them to cry out for more and heavier duties as they have, no merit of their own on which to exist. 'I he Victorian farmers have now determined to have an innings and demand a bounty on all "the grain they' export. Truly, protection is a sorry nag that requires a fearful amount of external application to keep it moving. The Wellington conference in its wisdo'n tries to tempt our farmers by proposing an import duty on agricultural produce which never comes into the country, but the

artifice is "too thin," to use. an expressive euphemism. To be consistent and to deal justly by all members of tho comnuiniiy, provision must be made to give the farmers and agriculturalists equal benefits under the proposed taritl" as to other industries. As the farmer is now producing more grain, wool and beef than can be consumed in the country, and am continue to do so, no matter how rapidly and extensively manufaeluries increase in number. We must ask for more than the Victorian fanner. A bounty on export where little or no export exists is a fallacy, the farmer must demand a bonus on every bushel of wheat and upon every pound of wool and beef to coiupeiiKate lii"; for the increased price he niiyfi for all the items lie requires as enumerated under tho tariff, if New Zealand is to .i.be likened to Victoria, should the same policy be adopted here, our protectionist friends should complete the (.■ouipnrisions. To Victoria's one great centre, we have several, each running a race of commercial rivalry and with antagonistic interests. Auckland manufactures and agricultural clauses would require to be

protected against those in Canterbury and Otago. Wellington and Napier would cry against the. importations from North and South, whilst the middle Island would be at war with itself and the North. If the protection party come into power, we shall have a pretty kettle offish, rind the ruin of New Zealand will then be complete.