CHAPTER IV. 



Protection and Currency Changes, 



In times of depression it has always been the first 

 impulse of a majority of agriculturists to demand direct 

 or indirect protection. The desire to keep up prices 

 and receipts naturally comes before the patient and 

 rational procedure of cutting down expenses. 



This desire to artificially keep up prices was brought 

 before us in the two demands for currency reform and 

 for protective duties. 



To take the question of protective duties first, it is 

 most satisfactory, in the interests of agriculture as well 

 as of the whole community, to note that our evidence 

 shows, conclusively, that protection has practically sunk 

 to the position of a " pious opinion." 



A small number of our farmer witnesses, and one or 

 two landowners, favoured protection in one form or 

 another, some advocating the taxation of manufactured 

 goods coupled with relief to agriculture, others the taxa- 

 tion of foreign barley, others the re-imposition of a 

 registration duty on wheat, etc. 



Mr Harris, who alone argued the question out, would 

 place a moderate duty on all imported corn or flour, 

 except from India and the Colonies, and also on all 

 manufactured articles. With the proceeds he would pay 

 bounties for wheat growing and take off the burdens on 

 agricultural land. 



In their local inquiries, our Assistant Commissioners j 

 naturally came in contact with the undoubtedly wide- 

 spread protectionist feeling of many farmers, but even in 

 the rural districts, opinions in favour of protective duties 



