The Government and the Tariff.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19161, 18 November 1927, Page 10

The Government and the Tariff.

It is not easy to understand why the Government, after taking a firm and wise stand on the tariff, should now offer apologies. Yet it is apology, or something perilously like it, that most people 'will read into the letter that has been received from the Minister for Customs by the Canterbury Manufacturers' Association. In this communication, which was read at the meeting of the Association on Wednesday night, there is the extraordinary sentence to begin with that "it was " unfortunate that the revision [of "the Tariff] took place this year " while the farmers were depressed and prices not satisfactory." Every manufacturer will suppose, and be entitled to suppose, that the meaning of this is that if the farmers had not been suffering hardship the Government would have increased the protection now enjoyed by secondary industries. Manufacturers will not only suppose that, but store it up and quote it as soon as the time seems ripe for doing so, and if the idea is not immediately dispelled, the Government will not find it easy to be firm a second time. Then, in the next sentence but one, we have this equally astonishing passage: "I shall be obliged if you ■will advise "your executive that I have not lost "sight of their representations, and "am at present conferring with the " Minister for Industries and Com"merce and the Prime Minister as to "whether further investigations can- " not be made by a reconstituted Board " of Trade, or some similar body, into "the difficulties of the boot industry, " the woollen industry, etc." That is a plain invitation to " the boot industry, " the woollen industry, etc.," or will be so read, not merely to ask for further assistance but to ask' with some expectation of getting it. Indeed the. Minister went on ,to say that although it is difficult to get the matter discussed while Parliament is working at high pressure, he will communicate again with the Association as soon as an opportunity occurs. That is both raising hopes, and feeding and strengthening them, and they are hopes which have no justification whatever in the condition of industry and the country.