NECESSITIES AND LUXURIES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 74, 30 April 1930, Page 8

NECESSITIES AND LUXURIES.

(To the Editor.l Sir, — Mr W. J. Polson's address at Invercargill, as reported in the Telegraph on Monday, to bring about a rfeduction in the cost of living hy xe* moving taxation from the necessaries of life, and placing taxes upon luxuries, sounds very well on paper, but how does it work out in practice? He suggests that by removing the tariff 'and reducing the cost of living, the farmer could, buy the commodities he requires, and also labour, cheaper, and therefore could sell his produce cheaper, and would therefore be in a better position to compete in the markets'of the world. This is the freetrader's argument, and I think it is qujte sound. But the fallacy, and it is the crux of the matter, so far as the farmer is concerned, is that what he gains on his purchases he gives hack on his saies, whicli he would be compelled to do under competition, _ Therefore the farmer -would not reeeive any henefit. Mr Polson admits this wheya he says, "lower costs would niean lower prices, and a still further reduction in the cost of living." The workers' wages are protected in this country by Ihe "Arbitration Court, and some of the trades and professions are also protected, but the farmer is not, which is unfair and unjust. It is a maxim in business to buy in the cheapest market and sell in the dearest, but the farmer buys. in the dearest market and sells In the cheapest, and no business can he successfully carried on on this principle, Why should the farmer and business man follow the example of the worker, and ask the Government to fix a minimum price for all commodities, so that all unfair competition should be made illegal? It is a recogliised "principle with all legitimate trades, that the first consideration is a fair remuneration for all engaged in it, — I am, etc., INTERESTED, Napier, April 29, 1930.