MR. CHAMBERLAINS COMMITTEE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 184, 3 August 1904, Page 10

MR. CHAMBERLAINS COMMITTEE.

(To tho Editor.) Sir,—Regarding your valuable article anent: the above, and Air. J. Clare's remarks thereon, I note this gentleman suggest that the commission which is now prosecuting inquiries and doing most important work is a one-sided affair. He mention* the nami- of Sir J. L. Bell *s one who might reasonably have been included but for the fact th.at be is the leader of a strong faction who are strenuously opposed to Mr. Chamberlain's policy suid scheme. Mr. Clare incidentally states that Sir J. L. Bell is usually described as 'the father of the iron trade." Just so; one would naturaliy expect such to be the case. In these few simple words Mr. Clare states the position exactly, and, moreover, if fee will carefully note and conscientious ly study the history and characters of the bulk of Mr. Chamberlain's most determined opponents and contrast these parties with him, I venture to assert that he (Mr. Clare) will be compelled to admit that instead of being the fathers only pi *uy trade, they are »!«»_

tJie grandfathers of a mongrel brood oi ancient, pernicious, untenable aud obsolete theories and opinion-. I have closely followed this '-Tariff reform" controversy from its inception, and personally advocated practically the same ideas years ago. It has struck mc forcibly as •a. curious circumstance that amongst tlic strongest advoeaies of lineal reform are ninny of those Radicals who profess; 1 o be it s most strenuous opponents. On all sides many of these, gentlemen have, been affirming that I,he proposals put forward by Mr. Chamberlain, are vicious, iniquitous, and wicked, and, if adopted, they prophesy the upheaval of ancient land marks, and assert ihat the. country ■will drift rapidly 10 destruction, and that it will ultimately mean the disruption of the Empire. These missionaries of Free Trade, however, invariably finish their tirades with a "but."' I .submit a few extracts which arc a fair sample of their general tpnour. 51 r. It. B. Halda n< , . X.C.. .M.P.. who is tbe special mis sionary e-f the Rosubevy section of the ■•Liberals." in a s]>eeeh delivered at, Perth bust December, contended that the past pros|)crity of England was due to Free Trade, "but." he admitted that trade "was not in *.ueh a healthy aud satisfactory condition as it ought to be aud might be. Mr -John Morley. who belongs to the C.-B. section, speaking at Dumfries in the same month, said, "the talk about tbe and bleeding to death of the country was mere moonshine/ 1 -but," he added iv almost the next sentence, "but he would not say there was not cauite for vigilant, anxiety."

These. 1 submit, are weighty words, pregnant wiih meaning coming from such a source, and one can only express inoruinarv aurprise that gentle.nieu holdjiitr BUcii opinions should endeavour to burke inquiry iuto existing shibboleths. The. truth is the Free Trade party have had the. foundation of their ancient doctrines s;ipperi and rudely shaken, heing the result of Mr. Chamberlain's magnificent efforts and his striking and brilliant speeches. They seem unquestionably to have lost much of their faith i» tbeir fet.i?h and old time religion, aud have become only experts in the simple art of negation, having no al(.1 rnative creed or ]K>liey to offer. !Mr. Clare goes on to say that lie attaches a great of importance to Mr. Arthur Chamberlain's opinion. He is welcome to do so, bnt let him not forget that this gentleman climbed to his present position from the shoulders of his great bro( her.

One more point and T have done. About tbe lx-ginning of Mr. A.Williamson, the author of "British Industries and Foreign Competition." addressed a circular to a large number of representative manufacturers in London. Birmingham. Manchester, ffuddersheld. Coventry. Glasgow, etc.. etc. To s;i\c space 1 only give the gist of the inquiry, v.lnch was in effect, had (hey in their suffered in any way through the competition of foreign countries who were themselves protected by high tariffs? SSI replied —there was no possible, chance of bias in this instance, .".30 answered the question in the affirmative, the solitary exception being at I American dealer in eveles and parts. who. in handing back tbe answer, remarked. "You Britishers are the biggest fools in the world. Why don't you put on tariffs?— 1 am. etc.. Auckland. July 31. 1904. EXPERTO CREDE. P.S.—I fancy Mr. Clare is an old friend of the writer's. Anyhow. I would strongly recommend him to read -The Case for* Protection." by Williams, which is dedicated to Samuel Cimliflel.esier. Lord Mash am. -"the doyen of English protection." a gentleman who ha-T done more for the Home textile trade than almost anyone dead or alive.