PROTECTION MINUS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 279, 31 October 1889, Page 3

PROTECTION MINUS.

To the Editor of the " Evening Mail."

Sib, — I nm a free-trader, afi any rate I look upon protection as I look upon alcohol, On judicious occasions, in small quantities ie may ba good, and in certainly pleuaunt 1 Tukea on all occasions, with everything we use, it is decidedly deleterious, and onus by being disgusting. Of course the plaa, for protection is tha'j it> i-j good for the wholo community. In theaa democratic dayQ of oors nothing would have the chance of the flavour of the sagacious majority which of* fered a shadow of a shade o£ privilege (abhorrent word 1) to any class, such as the clasß of producers or of manufacturers. Oh dear me no 1 A policy must be shown to be for the good of all. Bat if Protection against things coming in from abroad be called Protection plus, let us call Protection against things we want for ourselves being allowed to be taken out of the country, Protection minus, This is a branch of the great Protection theory which seems to me to have been neglected. Take for instance our kauri timber. The kauri forests are strictly limited. The tree does not grow south of East Cape ; indeed, for commercial purposes, I believe it may be said nob to grow souih of Mercury Bay. Now a great Australian so-called " syndicate " (why disuse the good old English word " company"?) Las been formed to fell those forests and export the limber wholesale to Australia and England. As :hat rate our bobs will y<-t liavti to do witaouo kauri timber, I'or the tree is very blow growing, and no artificial plantations have been made that I have heard of. Why noD protect the community by a little protection minus, i.e., put. oa an export duty. Again tnero are oertain deli" oacieß aone too plentiful for ourselves, which nevertheless I am credibly informed aro being ueed by oertain manufacturers for potiing and exporting in large quantities, buch oa quail, iaanga (or white bait;, gar* fisb, &o. Surely, Sir, manufacturers, however energetic and virtuous, should cot be allowed tais class privilege; should nob be allowed to make money by making the good things oi' the laud scarce for the people of the land. Protectionists awake ! and con* Bidfcr this branch of your theory. Doar Mr Editor, whatever we are do let us be C ONSISXENT. October 29, 1839.