FREE TRADE FARMERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14689, 25 May 1911, Page 6

FREE TRADE FARMERS.

A PROTEST AGAINST TARIFFS.

Pkedictioks that the future of New Zealand as an agricultural country would not be bright if increases in the tariff continue were made at the Farmers' Union Conference in Auckland yesterday. It was alleged by several delegates that farmers are being penalised to " bolster up" small trades, and are paying exorbitant prices for implements necessary in farm work.

The conference spent an. hour in the consideration of a remit from the Matamata branch, " That this meeting is of the opinion that the engineering trade should receive no more protection by way of tariff, but if there is any alteration required, the Agricultural Implement Importation Act should be repealed." Strong protests were voiced in regard to the increases in Customs duties, and the prices farmers had to pay for imported implements. One speaker said:—" New Zealand is one of the most heavily protected countries in the world. Tho Customs tariff train has a tremendous momentum at tho present time. We can't hope to push it back just yot; we must stop it first." • " Encourage agriculture," said another delegate, "and you will make Now Zealand a nation. Now it is being handicapped. This remit is the most important that has como beforo us, it involves a big question. Most people do not realise tho injustice of protection. New Zealand has to go abroad for markets to sell in, why not for markets to buy in?" Tho President (Major Lusk) said it was admitted that the farmer had not got protection. He had suffered and was suffering every year, so that sonic small industries might be built up, which apparently could not stand up themselves. This matter had been brought up previously, but so far the farmers had received very little satisfaction. They had no -wish to kill industries already in existence, or prevent factories being established, but they had to object to such, a very high tariff. Where promoters of local industries could not make the industries tlirivo under a reasonable tariff, the Government should not assist them by increasing tho tariff on tho imported goods, but should say " there are »omo millions of acres of waste land, you can settle on them." (Applause.)

The remit was adopted unanimously.