SINGLE TAX AND PROTECTION.
(To the Editor.) Sir, —Mr. Withy stated in an interview with an Auckland Star reporter “that under the Now Zealand rarilfs the tanner has to pay higher prices lor a good deal ot what ho requires, while it is impossible to raise tuo prices of anything ho sells.’ This statement.is absolutely incorrect and misleading. Nearly everything in use on a larm is on the free list, and tho products of the soil are protected to the hill to enable a fair return. Why, it is the London and Australian markets that fix the prices ot Now Zealand produce, etc., or supply and demand. Without protection how would farmers compote with the sweated surplusages ot tho Eastern world by coloured labour augmented with machinery?—say, China, India, and Japan, because these countries have already sent in largo quantities of produce to tho Commonwealth in face ot its heavy protective duties; and what use would there bo in opening up large areas of. country without protection for tho products oi tho soil, as it is obvious without the towns tho country would not exist, and vice versa, so the products of country and town .industries must be protected to save us from destruction. Tho farmers’ free list inwards is as follows—All agricultural machinery, all dairy machinery, all beekeepers’ implements, manures, sheep dip, salt, fencing wires, wire rietting, corn sacks, moat wraps, farm carts and waggons. Tho farmers’ protected list outwards is: Hams and bacon, 2d per lb., £l.B 13s 4d per ton; chaff, 20s per ton ; cheese, 20 per cent., about £8 per ton; butter, 20 per cent., £lB 13s 4d per ton; fresh fruit, Id per lb., £9 6s 8d per ton; eggs, 20 per cent., equal to.2d,per dozen ; potatoes, 20s per ton; grairi'of all kinds," 9d per 1001 b; preserved meats, 20 per cent.; frozen meat, 20 per cent. In face of tho foregoing facts it is obvious Mr. Withy has not perused the Dominion’s tariff.—l am, etc., RETER VIRTUE.
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Bibliographic details
Taranaki Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 14348, 28 October 1910, Page 6
Word Count
333SINGLE TAX AND PROTECTION. Taranaki Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 14348, 28 October 1910, Page 6
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