A DISCOURSE ON PROTECTION.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13006, 7 January 1908, Page 4

A DISCOURSE ON PROTECTION.

(from a correspondbxt.) WELLINGTON, January 6. Speaking at tho Town Hell last evening, Mr Keir Hardi<? said that protection was no remedy for.the betterment of the conditions of the working classes. Thov had somo protection in New Zealand, and it existed in America, but with what results? Good results for those with money to invest, more work for the worker, an.d more to pay for living, too. Hβ was not there to express an opinion upon the-,wisdom or uuwis-. dom of protection iv New Zealand but, he- wa*. there to say most emphatically that they did not went i£ at Home. Protection a>t Home was being run and financed by the same unholy gang which led England into the Boer war. (Vociferous applause.) if there was no other argument against protection except that, it would make him suspicious of its benefits. Suppose England had protection, it Trould efciH ba.v© to depend on. foreign markets to provide work for'tho pe&p.e. Supposing depression, came along and exports went down,' where would be protection? {PRESS ASSOCIATION* TEr.EGU.AMS.) WELLINGTON, January 6. There was c, large orowd a.t the wharf to-night to see. Mr Keir Hardje off south by the Maori. Mr Herdie loaves New Zealand, Tie. tho Blnff, next Monday. DU'NEDIN, January 6. TXio Mayor has written to tho Trades «.nd Labour Council declining to oocede to their request that lieshould officially receive 51 r Ken - Haidie on his arrival j here on Wednesday nigh*. Mr Keir Hardae will deliver an a<kir«n= at tlie Choral HaH to-night, »t 8 o'clock.