CORRESPONDENCE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10657, 10 July 1897, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

The Editor does not hold himself responsible (or opinions expreiwed by correspondent*, HOOLEt'S COMBINATION SCHEME, Sir,— la yoar leader of this morning on the above anbj'Ct yon stato that the (standard Oil Company has been the msans of reducing the prioe of kerosene to tbe oonßnmer— this evidently with a view of showing that a combination of all tbe colonial frarelng companies into one vaat business would generally benefit the community. Sinoa Ibis, evidently need &8 a strong argument in favor of consolidation, U so glaringly Inaccurate, It 1b more than probable (but all yoar premises based thereon are worthless Tbe Standard Oil Company had not obtained powers of absolute monopoly until the year 18S1, and from that time nnlil 1891 there wai only a fall of half a oent— since then there hie been a rlee. Previous to that, owing to the sharp competition among prodnoers there had been a continuous fall, Directly the) freedom of trade was pre vented, prices became stationary and have remained bo ever tinbe. Again yon say that some of the American Trusts have been "wrongs," some " mistakes," and other a " benefit." WroDgi and mistakes ! Tbe condition of tbe Amerloan farmer, ornshed between the upper and )owbt mlllstonea of Monopoly, affords by Iti pathetic lmpotenoe a strong enough reply to what the 11 benefits " are. This question vitally effaots the sheepfarmers of the colony, and 1 am enrprieed that some of them have not yet takan part in a dleouailon of the proposed Trust,— lam, &: , X Bkkd. Napier, Jnly 9 th, 1807.