FOREIGN MANUFACTURERS FIRST!

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1754, 20 May 1913, Page 4

FOREIGN MANUFACTURERS FIRST!

Sir,—lt has just come under my notice that our Dominion is giving the French manufacturer tha best possible inducement to ilood our market with his wares, and has dono so in tho matter of allowing millions of roofing tiles to come into the Dominion for the past ten or twelve years absolutely free of duty, thereby tho "Government has deliberately ousted the British manufacturer. When ono wakens uip-to tho faet, and, looking around generally, see Government offices, railway stations, etc., roofed with goods "made in France." Is there any special reason why "niado in Germany" is moro obnoxious to tho compilers of our tariff than "made in Fran®' ? If not, why not? This unjust handicap against the British roofing ti.lo manufacturers was brought under my notice in a very unpleasant manner quite recently. I was consulting a builder regarding lerecting a houso for me, and the moment ho mentioned' roofiug material I placed my veto on French tiles, ami stipulated for those of English manufacture. "I cannot do tho houso at tha price if you have English tile?," he .'aid.

"Why not? Are you getting a secret commission for crying up foreign manufactures?" "Oh, no, the fact is that tlisie is no preferential duty against foreign tiles; the Frenchmen beat tho English manufacturer all along the lino, lie never semis his cargo by steamships, but millions of these tiles reach lime by foreign sailing ships. Jto gets the cheapest freight going, about 30s. per tan at the outside. On tho other hand, English steamship freights aro nip to' 475. (id. i» r ton, and as tho shipowners aro in combine they may go higher, hence tho Britisher has no chanco against the foreign manufacturer; and though I would like to oblige you, yet I must increase the price for English tiles." Now, Sir, to mo this is a most iniquitous piece of business of the late Liberal Government, and goes to prove 'how much tlicy rtnill,y intended to reciprocate with English .trade. Tho fact rcinains that any foreign labour is the cheapest, even to payment of their mariners; and the late GoYornnps-nt has given the.-e foreigners' every chance, anil an Englishman is plainly told that ho must have foreign jcoo&i viidess ho pays for- it. It wouild ho,

I interesting to know how many othr-r plums are contained in tho tariff for the foreigner. It is clear that bv making this 1 apparent ''special concession" to oust the Kngh.sh manufacturer, that thousands of pounds havja been lost io tho Dominion during tho past twelve years, in placing tho 'foreigner first-"; and it is to bo hoped that-tho present progressive Gov-' •ernmont will speedily'make tho 'foreigner pay a. duly on his tiles, and .also show, that they recognise the British manufacturers- wares by giving us a change of tiles on Government buildings. This Liberal treatment of ouir Knglish manufactuivrs resulted in my being obliged to have an iron roof for, knowing the state of afhiirs, I would not encourage the , foreigner.—l om, etc., v I BRITISHER. I