TARIFF AND OTHER MATTERS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1607, 26 November 1912, Page 5

TARIFF AND OTHER MATTERS.

THE HON. F. M. B. FISHER INTER. VIEWED. SWEATED LABOUR INDUSTRY. MILITARY PENSIONS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Chriiitchurch, November 25. The Hon. F. 11. B. Fisher, in an intern view, said that at the first opportunity on his return to Wellington ho was going out with the Marine Department officios to Terawhiti to hear advice on the subject as to where the light was to be located. "I notice that a great many newspaper writers, having heard one side of the case —that stated oy the shipmasters—have already made up their minds as to the only course possible lor tho Department to take," remarked lir. Fisher. "I think really, that it is desirable that arguments for and against should be carefully gone into before a decision is arrived at." In reply to a question, Minister said that any announcement with regard to tho appointment of Public Service Commissioners would be made by the Prime Minister. He had no idea when Mr. Massey would make the announcement. .Mr. Massey would be down here about tho middle of December to go through the; South Island. ' Mr. Fisher said that the revision of the Customs tariff would take place next session. So far as his investigations before taking office .enabled him to discover (and; they had since been corroborated by evidence obtained by the Customs Department) he believed that at the present' time large quantities of goods were being : imported into "Australasia which were being made by prisoners in the United: States of America. As soon as he;took office, and with the aid and assistance of his colleagues,, he at once dispatched to England the Collector of Customs at Invercargill (Mr. Spence), who had a free commission to travel to the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, France, and other parts, to find out what classes of foreign sweated labour goods were coming to this country after shipment ,to England, and re-exportation from Great Britain. If the Government could stop those goods from coming into New Zealand it should do it. He had a Bill in course of preparation last session, but there was not time to get it completed. He hoped that, in addition to the Customs ' tariff next session, this Bill, the Trades Description Bill, would be placed on,the Statute Book. It would insist that every importer of goods must declare on his invoice the country of origin of the goods, and if they were foreign goods they would be taxed as foreigners ought to be taxed against British manufacturers. That was going to be the external policy so far as the Customs tariff was concerned. . •

' Asked as to what progress was being,, made in regard to the Military Pensions Act, Mr. Fisher said that all the necessary Departmental forms were ready for circulation and notification. Notices to military pensioners would shortly be posted in every railway station, post office, and pension office. According to the Act the pension could only be granted to holders of the New Zealand, war medal, but. large numbers of applications were coming in from persons who wero entitled to war medals, but had hitherto neglected to apply for them, and these claims would be dealt with, by the Defence Department, which was the determining authority in awarding the medal. All, existing old age pensioners who were holders of New Zealand war medals, and wished to drop tie old ago pension and draw the «£36 military pension in lieu thereof, could send in their old age pension, certificates to the Commissioner of Military Pensions, and draw the first instalment of the military pension for the month of December next. A very tastefully-designed military pension certificate had been printed, Ind this would be .handed, to 'eaoh pensioner upon' establishment" of his proof of claim. They should bo able to receive thoir pensions within the nest two months. All that was required now was that the forms be oompleted and sent in to the. commissioner, and they would be dealt lYith with tho utmost dispatoh. _ "I am quite sure from letters I have received upon tho subject," remarked Mr. Fisher, "that though some exception was taken to the fact at the time of the passin# of the Bill, that the State was not paying military pensions to every holder of a . medal quite regardless of his. pecuniary circumstances. Tho Bill is going to do a great deal of good, and will be w;dely appreciated. It .is the last step in the right direction, and one should have "been taken many years ago/, To a further query, • Mr.-Fisher said he did not think the opening of the Panama Canal would affect the tariff here. The revision of the tariff in tho United States was very much more likely to affect us. If the Democratic party carried out its pledges and allowed wool to go into the United States at a much lower rate, it would b9 of much benefit to Aew Iniid. '