ADDRESS ON PROTECTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 156, 5 July 1887, Page 5

ADDRESS ON PROTECTION.

Mil A. Bei-t., a, prominent member of the Auckland Industrial Association, delivered ;\n address on " Protection" at the V.M.C.A. Lecture Hull last evening. There wns but. a moderate attendance, UiouL'ii there were quito a number of repre'gantatii'u mun present. The Rev. J. S. Hill presided, and at his invitation the proceedings were opened by the Rev. Mr Worboys with prayer. The Chairmen mentioned tlio circumstances under which tho prosent meeting was held. Some time ago he (Mr Hill) had delivered an address on free trade in this hall, and in order that both sides ef the question might be heard, JYIr A. Bell, as an exponosfc of protection, had been invited also to deliver an address. Mr Bell commenced his address by referring to the importanco of tho subject, which, in tho present state of the colonial finances, demanded tho attention of all who were interested in the welfare of the colony. He gave a concise history of tho free trade movement in England; and proceeded to allude to the jealous manner in which Germans and other continental nations now protected their local industries, which enabled them to compete largely with England as a manufacturing nation. There was a very largo importation of foreign articles to this colony which could be manufactured here. He had recently purchased Dutch cheese, paying 4s Gd for 3Jlbs, while at the present time there was 100 tons of Waikato cheese awaiting a market, and for which not more than 2d or 3d per lb could be obtained. Wo fed our pigs on our fruit, and yet permitted fruit to be imported to the detriment of local makei-s. The lecturer instanced a number of other articles such as condensed milk, starch, etc., which could be made here if they imported the necessary skilled labour. ■At Opotiki, which was the finest maize and potatogrowing country in the world, they could bear the expenditure of a few thousands on machinery, and manufacture their own starch, etc. He claimed , that encouragement should be given to tho boot trade, when lie was sure a better class of boots and shoes would be manufactured. With protection, fully 800 women could be employed making underclothing,- He did not care for protection or free trade, but wished for the good of tho colony. At the invitation of tho Chairman a discussion followed. Mr Jury,who advocated protection, mentioned that porters' trollies had been imported from America at a.cost of Llii which were now being mado in this city for L 9. Mr White said a few words in favour of free tradu — pointing out that free-trade England owned half the carrying tonnage of tho world. After a few remarks from Messrs I<\ J. Moss, Vaile and Frasor, Mr Bell replied, and the meeting terminated with the customary compliment to the Chairman.