THE OAVERSHAM MEETING.

Evening Star, Issue 7233, 8 June 1887, Page 4

THE OAVERSHAM MEETING.

TO THE EDITOR.

§XB, — I should not have noticed your article of last night if you had not done me the unmerited honor of mentioning me by name, and crediting me with sentiments and ideas tint I never gave utterance to, and are entirely different to what I think and have always advocated. . ~ , , ~ In seconding the motion that was_ brought forward, I said that I did so as I conceived that it was the duty of the people to make a determined effort to put a stop to the fearful and ever-growing cost of the government of the Colony. I do not see that there is much to merit reproach in that. I also said that something must be done to endeavor to provide employment for the very large number of people out of employment in and around Dunedin and other places of the Colony, and who, for all that I can see, are likely to be out of employment for a long time to come. lam not so foolish as to suppose that if we had a complete political revolution next week it would make things any different to what they are now, as unfortunately wo are now paying for the follies and mismanagement of the past. But when we know the anxiety and suffering that such mismanagement has brought to such numbers, I tbink that it is tho duty of all earnest men to cast about for some remedy for the evil. Perhaps you could find us some ready cure. There is no one who holds the opinion more strongly than I do that the land and the industries connected with it should bo the chief study of those who have the progress of the Colony at heart. But everyone knows that with the excessive competition and the consequent low price of produce, together with the excessive cost of transit and various agencies, and tho high price of money, the farmers (with the exception of a comparative few who are favorably situated) are drifting with other classes of the community slowly but surely to their ruin. , ~ Now we know that under these circumstances the agriculturist cannot afford to employ labor, or if he does it is at a very low rate of pay, ofttimesvery little (if any) higher than what is paid in Britain. Therefore the question remains What are we to'do to find work for our people ? We know that there are ve-y few who have the means or the knowledge requisite to occupy the land with profit to themselves or the nation, even if large profits were being made. Again, a great many people seem to forget that owing to the indiscriminate and unwise immigration policy of Sir Julius Vogel sad his then colleagues we are essentially a mechanical and manufacturing people, and that which has grown to be a part and parcel of our nature cannot be easily rooted out. Therefore, I maintain that to meet the ever-increasing cry of work, work, work, the people of New Zealand must look about for some means to appease 4h I should be very sorry to say that it will be met by the fearful array of taxation that was proposed by the Treasurer and his allies; and I think that the sooner a man who could introduce such a Tariff as that was asked to retire into private life the better it will be for the country. If my vote would cause him to retire he should have it with all possible haste. There are many industries that might very judiciously and with advantage be encouraged in the Colony, which would profitably employ numbers of people, and, by employing them, lessen the insane competition that is at present going on in nearly all kinds of business, and gradually open up a better local market for the agriculture 1 products of the country. At the same time, there are a still greater number of industries carried on in other countries and under such conditions that I am compelled to say God forbid that we should have them established here under any circumstances, and I sln nld be very sorry to in any way assist in their introduction. Moat people seem to forget that we are not in Britain, or America, or Victoria, but in New Zealand. It is with things as we find them in New Zealand that we have to deal. If wo endeavor to cope with our difficulties as they arise and leave other countries to do the same, we shall at least be trying not only to better our own condition, but also the condition or those who come after us. In reference to a graduated income tax, it is, I believe, a political axiom that an individual should pay for the amount of protection that he receives from the State according to his ability to do so. Ido not think that there are many who will deny the above proposition; yet how difficult we should find it to give effect to it. But however difficult a thing may seem, if we set up a standard of excellence, and are always striving for it, wo may not accomplish all that we may wish, but at least have the satisfaction of leaving things a little better than we found them.—l nm, etc., Alfred Bragg. Caversham, June 7.