The inequalities of wealth, the extensive advantages of a limited number as against the restricted disadvantages of a count less number of another order, arcs giving rise to loud cries for a change

from this condition of tilings. The selfish instincts of men liavo begun to make themselves manifest, nfter the modern fashion we are condemning, in this fair land of ours where we arc endeavouring to build a righteous nation. We have seen various little crops of syndi cates atid rings of speculators, with selfish aims in view, spring up amongst us and flourish for a time, only to come to an ignominious end. We have, however, certain combina tions which have obtained possession of great commercial interests, of which they are enjoying almost exclusive monopolies. Prominent amongst these (ifc might safely be said they are the most im portant) is the Union Steam ship Company, whoso headquarters are in Dunedin, trlio have for many years carried the bulk of the coastal and intercolonial trade of Now Zea land without opposition, and who have acquired great power and wealth out of the industry of the colonists. The fares and freights charged by the company have always been exorbitantly high, and when compared with the scales rill ing in other parts of the world, unfairly high. The Company, how ever, havo been King of tho Ocean highway and levied tho heaviest toll they could, tho question of justness being an unknown article in their eroed. None others have felt the weight of the Company's monopoly so acutely as llie farmers of Waikato. If anything has tended to sap the success of farming in Waikato, tho differential freights of tho Union Company havo done so. In order to favour tho interests of tho South, with which they are most nearly associatoil, t ho Company havo turned Auckland into an easily ioachod raarkot for Southern produce, against which wo cannot compete; and they also give the Australian markets to the South by charging low freights for its pro duce, and charging Auckland pro duce twice and thrice as mush. It has been a mystery to us how Southern shippers could be eon-

gratiilating themselves on the re

turns tlioy have received from Sydney and Melbourne, while our own were deploring losses from the same markets. 