THE CUSTOM'S TARIFF.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1674, 14 February 1913, Page 4

THE CUSTOM'S TARIFF.

A MOVEMENT, FOR REFORM. At a recent meeting of tlio Canterbury Industrial Association, the opinion v was that the industrial associations wore, as a body, entitled to have some- ' thing to say on tho matter of tariff reform, and it was decided that tho Minister should be approached and asked to nlj'ord an opportunity for the Industrial Corporation, in conjunction wi(h tlio various associations, to consider any alteration? before they wcro submitted to Parliament. Tliis matter came up for discussion last night at the Wellington Industrial' Association's meeting, tho Canterbury body having written to tho (local association on the' Subject. The chairman (Mr. L. R. Partridge) referred to (lie question as one of importance. ' Tho Government had promised not to decrease tho Customs tariff, and if, anybody moved in tho direction of ( obtaining a lower tariff, the association, ho said, would have to bo ulivo to it. Mr. D. Robertson thought a committee should bo set up to deal with tho que!»lion, and to ascertain what tho Minister • was going to do for tho Dominion's indus-, triw, 'Inat was what tlio association was for. Local manufacturers needed 601110 protection by way of an adequate tariff. Tho chairman moved that' the association forward to the Government a resolution in agreement with tho Canterbury Association s views on tho question. lie said that they should bo heard as a body on any measuro affecting tariff reform before such measuro was passed into law. _ v Mr. F. C. Crease seconded tho motion. In sneaking to the motion, Mr. 13. Bull pointed out that tho duty 011 paraffin was was a serious handicap to candloinakeva in tho Dominion, as candles werb oorning hero from Burmah. and other places, where wax was produced—mainly by coloured labour—at 6uch a figure that colonial manufacturers could riot compota with it. . .■ -

Mr. Robertson, thought Hint tlio present Minister liad courage enough tx) alter tho tariff in favour of local manufacturers, and the sooner tho association took tho matter up and tisked Mm what he was going to do, the bettor it would be. The chairman's motion was carried.