TWO JEREMIAHS.

Southland Times, Issue 19227, 14 December 1903, Page 2

TWO JEREMIAHS.

Dec. 13. Received 11th, U. 36" a.m. Sir W. Harcourt, speaking at Tredegar. admitted that " dumping " required very serious consideration. He was prepared to study any pro- ! posal, but did not believe that the taxation of food would remedy dumping." which was an outcome of trusts and tho result of protection He criticised Mr Chalmborlain's tfeheme in detail, and asked what they were to get hi return for the taxation of food There was no evidence that, preference would create a material bond between the Motherland and her colonies. He w(,mld like to see the wheat Melds of England more cultivated, but to talk of doing ih;it by a 2s duly was nonsense. Germany was unable to do it with a T.s dut\ . and France was unable to do it with 12s. In order to inaike Britain self-supporting iJn.s would not suflice, and to deprive ourselves of the worlds wheat fields would he madness and would tie the hands of fii Hire finaiiw ministers. The Government w a n derelict : had lost its best oilicers. and was washed about by waves over which it had no control, Sir Edward Fry, speaking at Leeds, asked whether we were sure the colonies meant the same thing; as ourselves by preferential tariff. We hoard of their passing many resolutions, but it w iV s plain that their idea wa.s to incrca** the duties ngainvi foreigners, not to diminish them against British goods. Mr Chamberlain's- proposals woTild drag us into protection ; 'bring with it hivi.rtlxirningK and disappointment and lead to political log-rolling by people seeking to enrich themselves at the community's expense.