FREETRADE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLX, Issue 8164, 16 August 1887, Page 6

FREETRADE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sib, —Mr Porter, of the United States Tariff Commission, writing to the department at Washington, says; —“l found shoddy manufacturers from Batley and Dewsbury established in Prussia, Yorkshire wool combing establishments at Rheiras, all wool stuff manufacturers in Roubaix, English woollen mills in Holland, Lancashire and Scotch spinners in Rouen, Leicestershire hoisery manufacturers in Saxony, Dundee jute mills in Dunkerque, and English iron and steam millsinßelgium. RemovingEngliah capital to the Continent has secured a pro Stable local market, while England is near with widely open porta to serve as a * dumping ground’ to unload surplus goods made by foreign labor, superintended by English skill.” And these manufacturers, in addition to the advantage of labor at 16d to 18d for a day’s work of from 12 to 1 14 hours, receive a bonus upon goods exported by them to England, In this way the English markets are swamped, snd her labor undersold. Speaking of the bounty system, hear what the President of the Institute of British Carriage-builders says : —“ In order to till the cup of . bitterness for British producers to drink, foreign States have actually enacted export bounties on the class of goods made by our industry, so as to produce in a deliberate and unfriendly spirit, losses, ruin and misery on a hitherto prosperous British trade.” The Earl of Carnarvon, addressing the members of the London Chamber of Comm rce on this subject, says they, have an ill sound in English commercial ears. .As at present managed and adminstered, they are aimed at the destruction of trade in order to create a monopoly for the bounty-giving power, and therefore I tor one do not hesitate to say, though I am treading on delicate ground, that it is the duty of the Government of a country like this to set its face as stoutly as it can against this system of bounties. Notwithstanding the results as here indicated of the so-called Freetrade policy of England, we have men amongst us who advocate a Freetrade policy for this country, and call those who differ from them on this subject lunatics and other hard names. I, in a like spirit, feel that the advocates of such a policy, with the experience of the Old Country before their eyes, are themselves traitors to the best interests of this Colony.—l am, &c., J. Drasnfield.