94 AGRICITTiTURE AND TARIFF REFORM. 



more labour to cope with tlie iucreasecl employ- 

 ment, and it so happens that this labour is of the 

 highest-paid class. 



It is true, stock-men usualh' have more hours 

 to vrork ; inasmuch as their stock must be fed and 

 otherwise looked after, not merely on week-days, 

 but also on Sundays. "We have, however, never 

 found a labourer object to any such increase, 

 provided he is paid in proportion ; which is, of 

 course, the present system. Accordingly, if the 

 present system is to be extended to a considerable 

 extent, as we maintain must result by the adop- 

 tion of tariff reform, the agricultural labourers 

 must feel the improvement by the increased 

 employment of a better-paid character. 



There used, too, to be a large number of flour 

 mills in every county. These have largely fallen 

 into desuetude, owing mainly to our importing the 

 flour, instead of the whole wheat, and partly to 

 the newer processes for abstracting the flour from 

 the grain. We have it, however, on the author- 

 ity of millers themselves, who have spoken to us, 

 that if Mr. Chamberlain's proposals are adopted, 

 there would be an enormous increase of work 

 in the rural districts and connected v/ith the mil- 

 ling industr3^ This, of course, means a further 

 source of better-paid employment to the agri- 

 cultural labourer and his sons. 



Local Tradesmen Benefit. 



It must, moreover, be borne in mind, that no 

 such beneficial result can accrue without some 



