GOODS OF BRITISH ORIGIN.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18231, 15 November 1924, Page 10

GOODS OF BRITISH ORIGIN.

THE 75: PER CENT. TARIFF

TEST. . ,

OF THE PAPER TRADE

(»KOM CUB... OW3T COaMSPQSTJIIIT.)

LONDON, October,9

On the receipt of j the-news thatthe Australian and New Zealand. Gos-ern-inents had decid'ed-to ramend-the corfditidus under which: gobds/.paxtially of British manufacture, are admitted'into the Dominions,', the London Chamber of Commerce took .measures to rmake their protest. This is embodied -in' a resolution passed by the' Australasian Trade Section of - tne ; - This is:— .■','. "That the . Australasian Trade; Section of-the London - Chamber of Commerce . expresses ■ its appreciation of the Preference Tariff granted by- tho Australian Commonwealth, to -British goods, and the sentiment underlying the proposal to' change the percentage of British value necessary, to- secure this preference, with., a view.. to; assisting British r manufacturers. •;. "It. is desirous,' however,: to.l'.poiht out that British industry depends/uppn adequate.supplies, of imported materials, which necessarily constitute an important .percentage of the" final'"value of the manufactured article..- , ..'••'

"The 1 paper . industry . .of .Great Britain views with much, apprehension the. proposed ' change,' as it seriously threatens. the export of' paper to Australia, since it. is ' impracticable to obtain such ,basic materials- as are necessary 'from other than ' foreign 'sources. If proposes, therefore: "That the percentage ..of. British value remains at 25 .per .cent., but that the Customs' Authorities'" should., reserve power to increase" this ior- ahy partieular. trade adversely on the application, of such, trade; -and on" the. -production of? evidence V which. would satisfy'the Customs Authorities." . It' was pointed "out that. in; the'case of paper,, wood,pulp- accounted" for' at least'-. 60: per cent, of the cost,of, the finished article, '■' and -there were; other manufactures' to .which the ,•'same applied. '. ....'. . ..'.''": . ; '' The Times'' j Comment.. ' % A' statement 'of the proposed chahges has 'been:obtained• from., 'the High Commissioners ; ah£ pubKsh'ed" in. the principal papers, ; and." The . Times,'.' to-day : has a leadings article -on-., the subject. '• " The . announcement that the''Australian .and; New Zealand':.Gjovernments intend to ; alter thp .qualification under which British goods are."admitted . under the' preferential 'tariff,."■ says "TheTimesj" ~'Ss" of far. greater importance than ■ might, ho';, supposed from the. comments- that have hitherto been nfade. '■.•- :-.' '■■■ ■ '-.•■■•.

"At first'sight^itiwould.^appear.that the 25;;pjBr een,t.,.margi)a stili. lelt'is sufficiently ; wide :to 'enable * ; all' vgood's that are origin to= secure, the advantage <ofVthe preference, \ and -if' this • should prove Jto be c the case,, exporters -offsuch- articles Would ideiive actual 'advantage •frorHt}h'e> iijofe now pl%)'qse#, Jor:-it!;Js ; ":gerier,al|sy., admitted tbiii" under' -theM present ";■ system y:rnany K , , have noti been, fairiy^n^itled-;^to; .the preference gained admission -. ■it*,and ih'aveJserved;.to-,swelh :i heVrtotal of^injports-.--classified ■; as•; of*-Briti|h origin, Hhough, 'iri a .Teality, : ;largel\r-.of .^reign-prodU^ ''l^iinj^ioiis S. ih^accbrditiEf -. ;'treatrnerrt""tofgoads* Kingdom t6':*.a'ssist./gntisH;inyu'sf tries/;^ to say /that' when- the 1 ' Donnnio'n' r ",'.fot ' Canada, 'in i 89 7: led; the * way- by aaoptin'g a reciprocal; was ; 'the first' step 'in'lmperiar'pj,(efeTOntfal£tradi'ng,' it.: was; not,, generally, r recognised how. difficult.it; wpuldl proye.Jin .practice to, .decide;"what.,goods.. titled|t«/he''regarded • as::: of;- British; origins. >.-'-It «was jqnly.vafter ,-careful<;en.quiries.j.that^the/'decision ;<was,, reach&3; to : regardvas , British vail good's lini- the cost, of ;wMch«2s'per the cost-'of ».BritisK'"' labour-ancl v j •'■-of •niaterials.■";•■ The-other portions,of-|!;tKe Empire' which "the 'example rpf-. "tlio' •Dominion; of f Canada Vin faSppjbirigthe ' principle { of i. Mrjef accepted':t£ei'saine^:proportion.; . ' 'I *'*_'

. . ; .Woollen,Goods.- ; iC • \| * 'The .diffipulty..; of (drawing, up,' a ;satis-' factory jdefinitibn-as-inot''. encountered splely..in;regard;^ connexion'<withUall,/projects ifprt. discriminating, ; registered .riiavk of; origin 'br'.Otherwise, -•between imported goods and?thbse ofiginatirig>in the ;iEirigdbm. • • It ah insuperable -stumbling* block;in "'the cernirig;the qualifica'tibn's .tljatVshoulti ;febb'' ', "sold', v giiaranWe /'of -a"'' general^ <if -origin. - PrQbaWy\"no^singly. ~definitibn' can-be: fr.atned;that will') Jmept the'' requirbmerits:' in', the/, case; jof/Vall! classes'" stances: the : necessary, , ra'w •. materials are Unitetii Eftigdom—neither, silk: nor rubber is tish' commodity,in/the'- sense' that -itiis praduced in the Unitedtralia^'has : agreed 1 thiat- where-all-p'bsr sible ; the ; :rlfniyd' Kih'gaom,;* preferential treatment'; should be accorded; but, urilike New-Zeyaßd,/Australia;has ribt agreed ; -'that'• niaterials-origiiatirig in any-'part';: of the "Empire: should-be reo-ardea as -British •' the of the preferential an- outstanding-instance, .wdblleiiigboas, in' order?to^qualifyi'for; "jorefei^ilial treatment in be per 'eerifc British ; Taw/riiatiariaJ .and '(or) labour,eveii if the, they are-. made l is. Australian".} 1 That';Jias probably been ; rie-jes'sary iW-liile '* tEe/Bri'tish peroeiitage':was,'as-slow-' a 5.,25 'per cent., but if; it!te:;jTaised' ; to r '7ojitVis possible that * goods ;igadb' by -, British Australian; wool.; may. ,>be ' denied admission on-preferential-ierms;. Obviously ;that s wpuld- be.a .disadvantage to Australia, and cannot be: thevinton- . tion ofYtb> Government. *.' ;■: :■''[ ■ : '^he^Apst,raliflJi v apgffF to have- recognisedfthat'it;may be diffir cult, if not impossible, to comply w.itft the new - requiremehts.• in - some classes of goods,, and.if is, therefore,, stated that where - all possible processes niariufacture-.are performed m the>.wilted -Kingdom,: preferential admission will still be • granted i in certain circum : stances -but.. in .this .the provisions are to,b© made. more.rrgorous," for i%. is added that if^tlie::, goods can be-manufactured in Australia,;.pr& ference-.will: not be. gJanted -unless at IbastVsOo cent,;of_^" material-is" 'That:may;.debar jrbbds- that;are as. Bntis^ 'to "be:. ;The; 'pbj^^ 'tie proposed-new. defiriition, R«^£ SSfether Aus^alwj foods nhished iri tße -Mt in"reality fbreigir-cbuhtries;' littleobjec tSySn" be, taken,- but; until; ~>fsU a*afla,ble, there xan-be no assuraace thaTsome riridustoes. ;wHich- are dependent raw materials: from, outside .-the> kingdom wHlmot in future be ■m&, the. Jbenefife -off the tariff iri:-Aastralia.',' •;■ : .,y- . , •.: .