BRITISH TRADE AND THE EMPIRE'S DANGER.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14151, 10 March 1910, Page 7

BRITISH TRADE AND THE EMPIRE'S DANGER.

To tlie Editor of the "Timaru Herald." Sir, —That brilliant writer Robert Blatchford, whose able articles have appeared in the "Daily Mail," has clone so much to' arouse the lethargic British citizen to a sense of the great danger to the freedom and independence of his country or oversea dominions—for it would 111 case of defeat and disaster aifect us all equally. The last of the series of his articles which you published in your Saturday's supplement, is one that should be carefully read and pondered over by every individual citizen to, enable him to fully realize how urgent, and how necessary, it is for eacli to do all that lies in his power to defeat the aims of our coming adversary. Wo in New Zealand are already grappling with the problems of universal service, sharing the Empire's naval burden, and in various other ways preparing to stand or fall with Britain in the great struggle; but still there ..re other and minor ways by which each individual can give his mite towards the strengthening of his country's cause, and ''towards the deplenishing of the enemy's I'oifurs. There is at the present time a large volume of trade in Germanmade goodr.. whi'h all tenvls to enrich and s!rengtl'.ei! the very men who are frantically striving to outbuild, and thus eclipse our Navy, and who have a standing army, as Robert Blatchford p::iut:3 out, oi four millions of armed men always randy, and who are c.nlv r ''<'i'T 11■: t :• rv to invade a?:'i cms]! ihe Kr,; m ;ro out of exist-etr-c, as the? invaded and crushed Dcnv.r.find b 'ance witlim tb'.- re:" l!c.' I-n rf lix'Pi-. ji.cn. Trade is ?.t present the weapon with wh "a the" nro lab. up tins r.ighty power, for trade means wealth, and weal ill gives them the me ami to build an overwhelming navy. So. surely, if only on the grounds of self \yo are iustiiied in reject ng all German goods, and trading only with those who wish us well. Lnfortiauuely there is in aii of us a larce , loaven of soikshncss, winch causes us j to buy in ti.\e eheai>est, as also to sell, : jn the highest mp.ncei, but 1 would urge upon all to make this great sacrifice, and deal oniy in tho go-ads produced by cur friends and kinsmen. ]f the people in tho Empire resolutely did so, there would cense to he these anxious forebodings -about the Empire's fate. "We hare New Zealand, and also in Canada, a system of preferential duties, but in many ways they do not pivo the desired results, and totally prohibit. M.llions of British gold go to pav for German goods which could just as well be made by British hands, and add to British wealth, and the Empire's security. One of the most humiliating spectacles I saw was in Timaru some time ago, at a great sale of damaged goods caused by a nre on the premises of one of the leading commercial firms. It was the total stock of about 100 tons of damaged fencing wire, tho whole of which was "]\fade in Germany." Surely the farmers of this e corner of the lEmmro would not . sell their freedom, their liberty, independence, and the citizenship of this magnificent Empire for tho sake of saving a paltry £1 per ton on this tempting bait, which alas, is "Made in Germany." If the spirit of selfsacrifice for so great a cause does not exist, then surely it is high time that our legislators should in their wisdom, nlace preferential duties sufficiently high, to prohibit and bar the goods of a determined foe, and thereby transferthe stream of gold towards those who like ourselves, patriotically desire to retain their liberty and freedom, and the right to ever remain free born British citizens. —I am, etc., G. J. W.