occasion members did not long wrestle with the fallacies or facts of protection versus free trade. When in 1882 the finances were balanced, and the period of the 1879 Act expired, the Council did not revert to free trade. Though the tariff had not enabled farmers to supply local demands, it was determined to continue the duties on agricultural products. Flour, grain, fruits, vegetables, &c., were imported to the value of £57,378 in 1879, of £39,272 in 1880, of £44,245 in 1881, and of £99,621 in 1882. Within the same period the area under cultivation was not increased as was sometimes anticipated—in 1879, 56,431 acres, and in 1882, 56,691 acres (Blue Book). It could hardly be said, therefore, that the expectations of the supporters of the 1879 tariff were realised. Indeed, it would seem that farmers were more affected to increase the area under crop by good yields than by protective duties. Thus, the yields of wheat in 1879 averaged 15 bushels to the acre, and in the following year the area under cultivation jumped to 63,902 acres. The following crop was not good, and the area receded to 53,353 acres in 1881. The Greenough district had the smallest returns. The area under wheat alone decreased—in 1879, 25,762 acres; in 1880, 27,686 acres; in 1881, 21,951 acres, and in 1882, 22,718 acres.
The tariff of 1882 provided for a duty of 20s. a ton on flour, 10s. a ton on bran, pollard, and potatoes, and 12s 6d. a ton on hay and chaff, 4d. a bushel on all kinds of grain excepting rice, 2d. a lb. on butter, 2s. per cwt. on rice, 1s. per dozen on corn and flour sacks, 15s. per gallon on spirits (proof), and 4d. each on wool bales. Preserved meats were subject to 10 per cent. ad valorem duties, agricultural implements, machinery, and certain kinds of iron to 5 per cent., and merchandise and goods (not included in the other schedules) to 12½ per cent. Immigrants' tools, machinery for boring, and personal baggage (not including vehicles, glassware, chinaware, silver and gold plate) were placed on the free list. The Colonial Secretary, Baron Gifford, in moving the second reading of the Bill, affirmed that the 20s. duty was placed on flour to enable local farmers to compete on fairly even terms with those in other countries. It would, he said, place some check upon the indiscriminate importation of foreign flour for mere purposes of speculation. Mr. S.H. Parker moved that the item, "flour 20s.," be struck out, but he was defeated on the voices. Messrs. Carey, Grant, and Parker vainly pleaded for the free admission of agricultural products. Mr. Grant looked upon the tax as an imposture; every part of the colony was taxed to build a railway for the benefit of the corn-growers, and when that was completed people looked to have the duty abolished. Mr. Brown, to prevent those who were not producers, but "hangers on," from importing foreign flour, advocated the duty as a simple act of justice to the farmers.
During the ensuing years the agricultural industry continued to stagnate. While the area under crop was slightly increased, the proportion was not such as was justified by the increase of population. Bad crops were probably the chief cause of this torpor. Flour and grain had to be introduced in quantities as large as before. Prices were high, and living expensive. The total area under cultivation was:—In 1883, 58,111 acres; (wheat, 28,768); 1884, 79,669 acres (wheat, 29,416); 1885, 60,058 acres (wheat, 29,511); in 1886, 84,403 acres (wheat, 24,043); in 1887, 66,162 acres (wheat, 27,512); and in 1888, 65,699 acres (wheat, 30,740). The area under hay and green crops was generally larger than that under wheat, and was mainly answerable for the increases in the acreage under cultivation. The Blue Book figures of imports were:—1883, flour, £33,593 and grain, hay, &c., £56,816; 1884, flour, grain, &c., £67,661; 1885, flour, &c., £69,345; 1886, flour, &c., £85,998; 1887, flour, &c., £160,353; and 1888, flour, &c., £139,493
As the burden upon the finances, caused by the new borrowing policy, was seriously felt, protection became more and more a necessary means to meet the increased expenditure. It was not altogether a question of principle. Some councillors seriously supported protection, in the opinion that it would fester industries; others recognised it in a plainer light—a revenue producer. Further tariff revision took place in 1887-8. A Tariff Commission was appointed in 1887, and advised alterations ostensibly "to promote the establishment of new industries, and encourage the development of industries and manufactories already established." An Agricultural Commission—Messrs. Venn, Brockman, Richardson, Monger, and Padbury—was also appointed in 1887, and will be referred to in next chapter. In the debate upon a new Customs Bill in December, 1887, Mr. Alexander Forrest was the champion of the protectionists, and succeeded in increasing the duties proposed on live stock. The local grower, he said, must be protected against the outsider and the importer; increased duties would not affect the retail price of beef and mutton. In the tariff, assented to in 1888, there was a general advance towards protection. Horses were taxed at £1 per head, horned cattle, for slaughter, £1 10s., sheep, for slaughter, 2s. 6d., and pigs, 4s. Bran and pollard were increased to £1 per ton, wheat to 6d. per bushel, hay and chaff to £1 per ton, and potatoes to £1; flour was left at 20s. per ton. Harness and saddlery, furniture, carriages, carts, waggons, jewellery, tinware, and worked timber, &c., were customed at 20 per cent.; agricultural machinery, iron, wire netting, mining machinery, and kinds of leather at 5 per cent.; and goods, wares and articles of merchandise, not included in the other schedules, at 12½ per cent. Iron and steel, books, raw hides, paper, and personal baggage (with exceptions) were in the free list. A special duty of 20s. per lb. was levied on opium in 1886.
The finances were in a comparatively healthy state during the years immediately following 1882. On different occasions the Treasurer had the pleasure of announcing that the receipts largely exceeded the estimates. Thus in 1882 there was an excess of over £40,000, principally obtained from the Customs and Lands Departments; an almost equal amount was obtained in 1883. A substantial surplus accumulated in the public chest, much to the chagrin of several councillors, who held that it should be spent on this or that of their favourite districts. Needless to say, there were ample uses to which it might be put. Governor Broome (Knighted in 1884), who had not been altogether a favourite with the advanced section, and, like Governor Robinson, had vetoed measures over which members had taken considerable trouble, went to England in 1884 to float the Public Works loan for £525,000. He managed to obtain this sum, and proved a very zealous ambassador. He spoke glowingly in public and in private of the colony's resources, financial position, and future prospects, and obtained the loan. In an address delivered at the Royal Colonial Institute he gave a highly favourable description of Western Australia and its people, and was followed by ex-Governor Weld, Lord Rosebery, Sir Arthur Blyth, and the chairman (the Prince of Wales). Upon his return in June, 1885, Governor Broome was held in better favour, and the Legislative Council voted him £1,000 to defray his expenses. In December,
