The Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. TUESDAY, MAY 29, 1906. PREFERENTIAL TRADE.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XII, Issue 2370, 29 May 1906, Page 4

The Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. TUESDAY, MAY 29, 1906. PREFERENTIAL TRADE.

Farmers' politics aro quite fashionable in this community at the present time, and for that reason we do not propose to offer an apology to our readers for referring to one of the subjects that engaged the attention of the Farmers’ Union delegates to the North Canterbury annual provincial conference held last week. That subject was tariff revision. Mr J. C. N. Grigg (Ashburton) moved: “That, with a view to fostering closer relations with the Home Land, this branch is strongly of opinion that in any revision of the New Zealand tariff the question of preference should always take a foremost position.” Mr Grigg said this question would have more wide-reaching effects than any other the Union could take up. He thought they would receive assistance from the Pre_ mier, who always claimed that he was one of the leading spirits in the Imperial movement. Mr Chamberlain’s scheme was a splendid one, and it was no new thing really, as Disraeli, sixty-four years ago, and Bismarck when he amalgamated the States of Germany, voiced the same idea. At the conclusion of his splendid address on that occasion, Bismarck said: "England will have to return to some form of protection to her commerce, if only to save her own home trade.” That was ait example of wonderful foresight./ Mr Grigg went on to urge that thf' colonic-. should give England preference, so as to assist her against the jut side world, where walls of pufitectijil were raised against her. Mr Chamberlain was defeated only because of the tear that food was to be vavei He would like to see tin- British artisan agreeing to a. .small preference on colonial '-goods, hut in any case ,\- w Zealand's great natural a /ar.tI ages in the way ot climate would enable her to hold her own. The time was coming when Mr Chamherlai t s idea would carried into effect ; already Mr'John Morley, the Lib t'ill of the jniheruls, had come round to the opinion that retaliation was e •- ■»ex<nry. The farmers were closely hound up with this matter, and ho hoped to see them fighting for it. fi supporting the motion, Mr I.endlev said Mr Chamberlain was right when he urged them to think Imperially; hut unfortunately there had been a tendency in some parts or the colony towards a very contracted outlook. At a recent industrial conference in Christchurch, one man got up and said his motto was: “New Zealand for the New Zealanders every time, and let the British look after themselves”; and that was .he only remark that was greeted with applause. That seemed a poor commentary on the intelligence of the spanker in question, and those who applauded. What would he the rosull if Great Britain left this far-off land to itselfP It would wiean national bankruptcy for this colony, lb- di<l not think Great Britain’s supremacy in manufacturing could continue, on account of industrial evolution, hut this country could assist her by Helping to consume her products, and seeing that they were carried in British ships. Jn speaking to the motion. Mr G. Shout said they would stand by England every time, and they expected England to stand by them. They were hound together as a whole, and this wns a step in the right direction. It is almost. needless to state that the mo-

tion was carried unanimously, and if Mr Seddon carries out his Customs duties remissions proposals, he w ill do much to foster trade between Great Britain and this country. A Preferential Trade Sill was passed by the New Zealand Parliament some time ago, but it was a misnomer, as no preference whatever was given cO British goods, but increased duties were placed on articles ot foieign manufacture. The producers of this country are very largely dependent on British consumers—in fact, the colonial pot would not be kept boiling if there was no market in Great Britain for our surplus wool, butter, mutton, cheese, etc. In this matter our statesmen should not only think imperially, but act imperially, and do everything in tlieir power to draw tighter the bonds that bind New Zealand to the Mother Country, not only from a fiscal point of view, but in order that she may be ever ready and willing to protect the colony in any emergency that may arise.