The Protection Agitation.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2081, 15 June 1887, Page 2

The Protection Agitation.

A movement in favour of “ Protection to Native Industries ” has been commenced in Wellington, and a public meeting was held at the Opera House on Saturday night, the alleged object in view being to form “ A New Zealand Industrial Protection Association.” The speech of the evening was made by the Hon Mr Ballance, who argued very fairly from the Protectionist’s side of the question. ‘ The main resolution was carried, and it was also agreed to form a committee to draw up rules for the proposed association. At the meeting the Protectionists had things all their own way, simply because no representatives of the Freetrado came forward to present their side of the question. There was consequently no discussion whatsoever of the facts and principles involved in the great questional issue. The meeting cannot be taken as affording a true representation of public opinion in Wellington. We believe that the great bulk of the people in Wellington City are against this Protection movement. The coming elections will probably show this. The only Protectionist representative of Wellington city who held a seat in the House last session was Mr F. H. Frasor, and he will have to contest Te Aro -against several other candidates at the general election. A good many people dread and distrust this socalled Protection movement. During last session the Government put forward what they called a Protective tariff, which was really nothing of the sort. That tariff was only to a very slight extent Protection of colonial industries, while its main feature was an enormous increase of taxation on articles of general use and consumption, which could not be produced in the colony at all. We shall watch very carefully the further development of this socalled Protective movement.