CORRESPONDENCE

Waipa Post, Volume 47, Issue 3357, 29 July 1933, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. “ FAIRER TRADE.” (Sir, —Why does Mr Goodfc llowwaste his time stumping the country advocating free trade ' with Great Britain ? Surely all thinking people understand by this time that “ free trade,” meaning no tariffs, is quite impossible. What we want between Great Britain and New Zealand is “ fair trade.” Let me put the tariff position something like this: Britain, 20 per cent; other Empire countries, 30 per cent; foreign countries, 60 percent. We must have some revenue from tariff’s. At the present time practically everything a fanner uses in his business is allowed into New Zealand free of tariff’. Great Britain does not ask, nor does she expect, her manufactured goods to be allowed to come into New Zealand free; so if we allow an average tariff of 20 percent, spread over goods not duty free, this will not form a handicap to Britain; and if we raise the foreign tariff to the proportion mentioned on manufactured goods this will give trade a British bias, and will end in Britain cellaring the lot. Advocating free trade is just so much beating of the air, and raises intense opposition. After all, many manufacturers are well established in New Zealand, and they pay wages regulated by law, and they are entitled to some consideration; but the farmer can use as much low-priced labour as he can get. The farmer is not the only producer of wealth in this country, and the sooner he understands that the better. In fact, take all the farmers of all sorts in the world; they produce much less than the manufacturers, otherwise how could they sell their produce ? Does the New Zealand farmer sell to farmers here, or is his market with those who have no interest in farming ? Now, it' these people do not produce wealth, how can they buy what the farmer produces ? 'So we must live and let live. Let us concentrate on reducing tariffs against Great Britain and increasing tariffs against foreign countries instead of wasting our time crying free trade. We certainly need to increase our purchases with Britain, and the means is ready to our hand. W|hat we are at -present buying from the United States and Japan and other foreign countries will make a good start, not to speak of Canada and Australia. Our present tariffs have nothing whatever to do with the price of our butter in Britain, and, whether we like it or not, quotas are coming unless there is a great revival of; trade in Britain. Thanks to Mr Goodfellow the opposition has been consolidated, and we may stand now to get less reduction of tariffs than before he interfered. The Tariff Commission is the proper place just now to submit our ideas on this question, and I am quite sure tariffs will be reduced as a result to nearer “ fair trade ” but not to “ free trade.”—l am, etc., FAIR TRADE. LOCAL DANCE MUSIC. Sir, —Splendid! ‘-Local Musician” assures us the services of the local Dance Band has always been at the disposal of the Mayor. Right! Let the Mw/or now call on them to show what they can ’do —in quantity and in quality. And let us have a big danc-e in support cf the grandstand funds. Two birds will be killed with the one stone —the fund will be helped and “ Local Musician ” will be able to demonstrate what he has argued —that other dance organisers have not given opportunity for the complete compliment of players to demonstrate their strength and ability.—l ann, etc., DANCER.