BY R. M. JOHNSTON, P.L.S. 191 



gardens, verdant pasturage teeming with browsing cattle, 

 ^usy industrial centres crowded with the homes of industrious 

 and happy people. 



Ah ! little do they know of the never- failing Nemesis which, 

 like a sleuth hound, dogs the steps of an ever-increasing 

 population. Happy selectors of easily-acquired choice lands 

 may luxuriously grumble at the amount of their taxation, the 

 loiv price of viittton and corn, their bad roads, and the impos- 

 sibility of extending their operations in the production of corn 

 and wool, so long as the wages of farm and other laboiir are 

 ■SO high. 



The professional and merchant class may reasonably 

 grumble at the scarcity of men and products which restricts 

 their respective callings, and may impatiently rail against the 

 slow progress which the country is making in population and 

 the creation of products. The few wealthy men of leisure may 

 hanker after the amusements and honours so common in 

 thickly-crowded centres, where the attractive ministry of cheap 

 labour is but too common. 



The comparative comfortable artizan or labourer, under 

 such favourable conditions, may in verbal or literary debate 

 still wage a lively dispute whether the irksome eight hours' 

 labour — or weekly half -holiday — may not be further improved, 

 and the rate of wages fu7iher raised above the rates of over- 

 peopled old countries, but he does not view with favour the 

 fresh inti'oduction of labourers in his oion craft. 



The consumers of the services of local dear labour may 

 desire the introduction of the surplus cheaper labour of 

 Europe, and for the sake of Protection may urge upon the 

 Government the necessity of extending the advantages of 

 external Free Trade. On the other hand, the protector of a 

 local monopoly of relatively high wages or more dearer local 

 manufactures, may more strenuously advocate the necessity 

 of increasing the tariff on all manufactures from other 

 countries, especially on such as may be produced locally. It 

 will be seen, therefore, that in young countries, as well as in 

 the old, we have the battle of interests still waged, if not so 

 keen. The competitor or seller of servrices cries for Protec- 

 tion ; and the user or consumer of services enlarges upon the 

 harmonies and advantages of universal Free Trade. 



Few recognise the truth that individual welfare depends 

 less upon the greatness of the aggregate wealth of a country 

 than upon the proportion which freedom from excessive 

 competition gives each individual over the local natural 

 sources of utility, including primary wants ; and that the 

 country possessing the greatest aggregate of material wealth 

 may, owing to the competition of excessive numbers, present 

 the spectacle of a small privileged minority absorbing an 



