PROTECTIVE TARIFFS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1532, 14 April 1887, Page 3

PROTECTIVE TARIFFS

("Australian and S. American.") Iv nearly all the principal European countries there is a strong tendency just now to revise tariffs a^d renew commercial treaties, where they have expired, on a protective basis. Ruoroania seeks '0 protect her home industries against competition from Austro-Eurgary ; Greeoa is raising its tariff ; £ wifzwknd proposes to increase the duties oh German goods crossing its frontier ; Außtro-Bungary -will revise Stj commecrial treaties on the German protection basis ; Italy has denounced its treaty of commerce with France and Austro-Hungary and will seek to reserve Its markets more for home productions ; Norway and Sweden wish to tax imports of agricultural produce : K-uesia is projecting an augmocted tariff on imported luxuries ; Belgium, wants high dudes to protect its cattle and live stock interests ; m fact, almost eveiy country contemplates some improvements ia its tariff laws for the 9ncour»gemcnt of its domestic industries Only the United States and Gre»fc Bri am have no definite plans m this respect for the future. Our B itish cousins are too much taken up with the chimerical advantages they hope to reep from Imperial Federation and too hopelessly committed to a free trade policy to move m the matter, while our politiconational statesmen are Rlnvnt too buey with local patronagp, penm'on Bteals, and river ard harbor grabs to give us. even decent foreign mail facilities or adequate protection for cur defenceless ports, let alone to 1 ' consider the adv<Btibili(j of removing the taxes on raw material we cannot prodnce and nre constrained to import m manufactured form to the detriment of home industries,