FIFTY YEARS AGO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20987, 25 September 1931, Page 6

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

EXTRACTS FROM THE HERALD. The following are extracts from the New Zealand Herald of September 26, 1881: The growing feeling of discontent i" England at the loss of trade consequent on external competition has assumed the form of a demand for a retaliatory tariff against those countries whose P°hcy protection withholds that free ln . change of products which Great Britain concedes to all her rivals. It is being said that free trade is possible only u 1 is universal. It is further insisted that the United States, bv protection, has industries capable of competing with those of England. A policy of retaliation would render the Americans bitterly hostile and tliey might insist off annexing Canada. Unless the projecte policy were clamorously supported by the nation it is unlikely that anv Brit is Government would think of adopting i • The advocates of the policy couple J with free trade, throughout the Empire and the representation of tne colonies in the House of Commons, all suggestions for consolidating e Empire this is the worst. It would certainly fail and almost as certainly bring about disruption. The representation would make more unwieldy a House a ready incapable of doing its wo ' Again, if the representation were smai. it would be powerless, except as a taction. . . President Kruger, speaking at t opening of the Transvaal Volksraad, pa he believed Britain would be compelled to agree to modifications of the tion made last month by the r.ngUS' commissioners and the Boers, the change being in favour of the Transvaal people.