PROTECTION AND PRICE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 171, 19 July 1907, Page 3

PROTECTION AND PRICE.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Some time ago the Master Bootsellers had a meeting re duty' on boots, and it was stated at that meeting that duty on imported boots should not be increased because the local ' factories : could not. supply the'local, demancL- I think as they are the interested parties, this statement should be inquired into. The other day a letter stated that men in the boot line had gone to Australia because of their inability to get work. It seems disgusting that because the bootsellers get more profit out of the American article, they should not bo curbed in the way of an increase of duty. You tackle one of them, and they tell you about last Christmas there was a shortage. Besides, we have to put up with cardboard and brown paper in the place of good leather. I am sure the local article should be encouraged by the public insisting on having colonial made boots. I also see kerosene has gone up. Certainly, the Government should interfere in this extortion, as the duty was taken off some time ago, and we are paying just the same as a result of the operations of the American trust. Besides, they encourage one to buy; their kerosene heaters and stoves, and then' raise the price of the oil burnt. It is really ridiculous that the Government should try and assist the people by taking off duty and yet the article remains the same price. Somebody is making large fortunes out of this sort of thing. I hope it will not be the case in the present revision of the tariff.— I am, etc., FAIR TRADE.