CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10148, 3 June 1896, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

MR. CROWTHER, M.H.R., A.ND OUR RAILWAYS. TO THK EDITOR. Sir,— have do intention of entering into ft controversy with Mr. LYowtlier, but there is a serious error in his letter which, as emanating from a member of Parliament, might do harm if uncontradicted. Mr. Crowther says: 'I think, however, Mr. Editor, with a falling revenue of £1,353,000 during the last four years,' etc., etc. I do not know where Mr. (Jrowther obtained this figure, but certainly neither from the public records, nor from my paper, or my tables. I gave that figure as the decrease in the import and export trade during the four years. That is to say, in 1895 it was £1,353,000 less than it was in 1892. I presume it is this figure which Mr. Crowther has supposed meant revenue. My paper did not refer to the decrease in general revenue at all, but it stands thus: In 1895 ordinary revenue was £64,572 and territorial revenue, £33,684 =,£98,256— less than it was in 1892. This is bad enough, but Mr. Crowther's figure would have sent us into the Bankruptcy Court. Mr. Crowther speaks of the low prices of produce. Has lie ever asked himself why these low prices prevail, or sought to find out a remedy? If he will pay a visit to the Northern Wairoa, Paeroa, Waihi, or Coromandsl, and will enquire about the prices the farmers near those places get for their produce, aud will compare them with what the Waikato farmers get, he will discover both the reason and the remedy. He will find that in the four first-mentioned districts much higher prices prevail. Why? Because there are local markets. The chief cause of the depreciation in prices is the destruction of the local markets all the world over, and they will never be permanently raised until these local markets are restored. To effect this restoration is the special object of my stage system.—l am, etc., Samuel Vaile, Auckland, June 1,1896.