146 AGRICULTURE AND TARIFF REFORM. 



country, lias informed us that he has resio-ned his 

 membership because he believes in reciprocity, 

 and especialy in free trade within the empire. 

 We hope and believe other resignations will fol- 

 low. 



It is surely hardly necessary to recapitulate 

 many of the arguments for a reconsideration of 

 our fiscal system, as it applies to agriculture. 

 However, let it be remembered: — (1) That whilst 

 our exports to our Colonies have enormously in- 

 creased during recent years, our exports to foreign 

 countries have decreased ; (2) that the rural poj)u- 

 lation has decreased by nearly 1,000,000 souls in 

 50 years ; (3) that the area under wheat has de- 

 creased by 1,853,140 acres since 18G6; (4) that 

 the area under permanent pasture has neverthe- 

 less immensely increased, viz., by 5,785,681 acres 

 in the same period ; (5) that our farm live stock 

 has decreased by 1,074,997 head since 1869, in 

 spite of the great increase in our town popula- 

 tions; (6) that agricultural capital has enor- 

 mously decreased ; (7) that the prices of cereals, 

 of meat, wool, and other farm products, have gone 

 down from 30 per cent, to, in some cases, 40 per 

 cent, and more ; and (8) that whilst the position 

 which agriculture occupies in the country is 

 gradually getting worse and worse, the physique 

 of the people, as judged by the report of the 

 Director-General of the Army Medical Service, 

 is in a very unsatisfactory condition. To all this 

 it may be added that the emigration from this 

 country to foreign lands is not only hugely 



