ADJUST THE TARIFF?

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1414, 15 April 1912, Page 6

ADJUST THE TARIFF?

ON FARM IMPLEMENTS, MAKERS MEET THE MINISTER. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Chrstchurch, April 13. The Hon. G. Lauren-on was waited , upon by a deputation of manufacturers of , agricultural implements to-day. Mr. George T. Booth, who was the principal spokesman, iirst congratulated Mr. Laurenson on his appointment as Minister for Customs. It was, he said, a matter of great satisfaction to manufacturers lo know thai: that Department of the public service was in (ho hands of a Minister who had a great deal of sympathy with Iccat industries. The present deputation did not wait on the Minister to ask that increased duties should be put on imported agricultural machinery. They had noticed that there was some possibility of a reciprocal Customs arrangement with tho Australian Commonwealth being brought up for consideration. A suggestion of that sort had been thrown out by the Prime Minister on the other side. The deputation wished to point out that Australian-made implements came into New Zealand free of duty, while, on the other hand, implements made in New Zealand and shipped to Australia had to pay a duty of from 15 to 2") per cent. At one time certain of the Australian States were duty free, and then New Zealand had developed finite a nice implement trade with New South Wales and Queensland.. When the Federal tariff camo in, however, that trade practically came to an end, and the export of agricultural machinery lo Australia from New Zealand now amounted to practically nothing. On the other hand, the importation of Australian implements into NewZealand was not very large. In one of his publications, Jlr. Cameron had estimated tho value of imports at .£IO,OOO a year, but, so far as manufacturers were aware, there was nothing like that coming in. He (the speaker) pointed out that a great deal of development was going oil in Australia. A considerable number of New Zealanders were going there to settle, and manufacturers wanted to continue their relations with these New Zealanders. If New Zealand implements could be introduced to Australia tinder more favourable conditions than existed at present, settlers would continue to buy machines, but, if they had to pay a duty of 15 or 25, per cent., they would have to buy the Australian machine. The request of"tli9 deputation that there should be reciprocal free-trade in implements between New Zealand and Australia was a reasonable one. On What Basis Can We Meet Australia? The Minister replied that Mr. Booth had brought out a very important point when he said tliqt the deputation did not ask for an increase in duties which might cause an agitation in some quarters, but rather to promote reciprocal trade between two brandies of the British Empire. It was quite reasonable that a country should object to competitive free imports from a country where wages were poor, and hours but Australia had no complaint against New Zealand in that, respect. It was their boast that, as faras wages and hours were concerned, New Zealand was abreast of any country in the world, and ho thought that was" a very good thing to boast about.- As far as a reciprocal tariff with Australia was concerned. he could say that the Government had been approached with a viewto certain prominent gentlemen visiting this country to arrange a basis for reciprocal trade. lie had gathered from Air. Montgomery (the Secretary of the Department) that, while New Zealand would be able to semi a great deal of stuff to Australia, Australia would not send so much stuff here on which New Zealand could relieve the duty. Australia, however, could send timber and wines, and one or two articles of that description. The Minister recalled the fact that tho late Mr. Seddon had arranged a temporary treaty with Mr. Deakin which had been submitted to Parliament. One of the' most important items in that treaty was that sugar was to be admitted free." That, however, would have had a most disastrous effect on a large industry in the north, and the House had decided against it. There had also been several other reasons why that treaty could not be permanently agreed to. There was now a very strong feeling in New. Zealand in favour of having closer relations with Australia. From figures supplied by Mr. Montgomery, he gathered that, in 11107, Australia imported <£-101.000 worth of Agricultural implements, and, in 1010, .£590,03") worth. New Zealand's imports for the same years were .£112,000 and .t'llß,ooo. The imports of agricultural implements from Australia had decreased from 1907, ihe round figures being: 1907, .£10,000; 1908, ,£11,000; 1009, JiOOOO; 1010, .£8900; 1911, .£7IOO. The exports from New Zealand to Australia had risen from ■i'sooo in 11)07 to .£IO,OOO in 1010. He might say that Mr. Cameron's report on the matter had impressed him as being a very valuable one. The Minister added that he had been struck with the necessity of adjusting the tariff at. frequent, rather than rare, intervals. Conditions altered in two or threo years, and they should not wait for (en years before adjusting their tariff to meet the changed conditions. There were quite a number of anomalies in the tariff. He did not know whether the Government intended to alter it this year, but he thought, that they should. He thought that tlie proposal of the deputation was a'good one. The Labour conditions were practically identical, and he did not think that any reasonable man could objcct to the proposal made. . He hoped to got the Government to agree with it, and to get Australia to see it in the same light. Blue Book and Machinery Figures. Mr. Booth made a suggestion, that the return of imports of agricultural machinery should be more particularised in tlio Blue Book, as it was difficult, under the present system of compiling the return, to separate the agricultural machinery from general machinery. The "Minister said that, if this could be done, it would be done. He thanked Mr. Booth for the kind personal references which he bad made at the opening of his remarks. In these days a reference such as that came very acceptably. He fnllv realised that it was impossible for thei'n all to see eye to eye on political subjects, but ho thought that, on the bulk of subjects, reasonable men could agree. Ho hoped that, during his term of office, he would be able to do some good for the industries of the country.'