THE TARIFF.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 560, 15 July 1909, Page 6

THE TARIFF.

DUTIES ON SERUMS AND VACCINES. IMPORTED BOOTS AND SLIPPERS. •' - (By Association.) -„■■':' 'Auckland, July;.-14.--'. A deputation from the British Medical As-: soqation waited upon the Minister for Customs (the Hon..Geo. 1 F.owlds) to-day to urge the removal of. the tariff: duties on-certain serums and vaccines. It was urged that no. good purpose was'served by the imposition, of these dutiesy'arid thai the poorer classeswere those who suffered.' In' the. case of anti-diph-theria serum it'was essential that ft should be ;at the-disposal'of the public at.the lowest possible. cost, and,there we're new vaccines whioh could be used with advantage in cases of tuberculosis and blood-poisoning. which , it. was equally desirable, should be available to. the public as cheaply.as possible; There was no reason why 2J-per cent, duty should be charged on these.articles, for they could, not be produced in New Zealand. Tlioy were ob'-. tained by members of the. medical profession at,-wholesale • prices and sold • .absolutely at. cost price to those who needed them. . It was desirable that the, State should encourage the administration of these;.sernme.....ln the caseoftho anti-diphtheric serum,'the, death-rate had .been reduced from 40- per. cent."to 13 per cent.- In tho caso of tuberculosis,' the vaccine had proved very, useful in meeting distressing cases. -If .thci duties were roinoved it would not interfere with tho.vac-. cine factory ai Hastings, which .only manufactured smallpox vaccine. .Tho poorer people wero unquestionably _thoso who ..suffered' by tho levying of tho duties on'these articles, and it was urged that thoir- operation should be suspended. ( •. . ■'• ._ , The Minister said ho was in accord with the view they had stated. He could' assure them that tho first timo any alteration, was made in tho tariff this, would bo borne in mind/as'it' was never intended to, raiso rdvenuo. from material imported; for tho treatment of disease How soon it would bo possiblo to effect'that amendment, however, was another matter, for at tho slightest,suggestion of making any: alteration tot the tariff there were always hundreds of requests brought' forward for exemption. At the first opportunity which offered, however, it would be, put "right, and' ho would do all: he could to facilitate matters to.that end.- ■.'.'"■'.' • ■'.''.-■' ; ' . Another deputation, from the"boot'manufacturers, protested against. any reduction.of the tariff on imported' slippers, contending that -if anything .the duty:'.should 'bo increased.' It was also asked that boots costing ove'rSs, '6d. a" pair should bo under a'higher tariff than those-costing.under Bs. 6d. ; Thoy combated the importers' proposal that slippers should: be judged by the size of : the heel.':. ~ " '■:■'.' '....'-', ~' '■ Tho Minister promised' to consider the matter, but said there was lip prospect of a revision of tho - tariff. •:' . . .',.'