OUR NEGLECTED INDUSTRIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8885, 23 May 1892, Page 3

OUR NEGLECTED INDUSTRIES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—Aha ! There it is at last. Lord Salisbury declares that "England, ought to be prepared to retaliate on hostile tariffs." Protection is in the air of Great Britain, and at last the nation is alive to its own interests. She begins to realise that the foreigner is stealing the bread from the mouths of her children, sapping her colonial trade, narrowing the sphere of labour of her people, and enriching themselves in her fair possessions, besides laying the foundation of a disturbing element in her efforts at federation among the English-speaking people. This declaration of Britain's Premier ought to strengthen the hands of those who claim the right of the children ot this country to make and manufacture for its own wantsso far as possible. This right has been violated, our children have been banished by a stupid, selfish, criminal indifference that our importers may have the privilege of dumping on our shores goods of a questionable character. Notwithstanding what you may say, New Zealand is destined to be the workshop of the Southern Hemisphere. She has within herself all the requirements of a great manufacturing country in the shape of climate, water, timber,coal, etc., etc. What would have been the condition of New Zealand to-day but for the nursing our industries have received from protection ? There must be something rotten in the state of Denmark when she fails to entice to her shores a small share of the three-quarters of a million that leave Europe annually. Let us not despair. The prosperity of our country must not be allowed to fade away like the echoes of Waiorongamai.—l am, etc. Andrew Bell.