AFTER-WAR TARIFF

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2736, 3 April 1916, Page 9

AFTER-WAR TARIFF

HOW TO SHUT OUT THE HUN

A report published recently of a subcommittee of the Board of Trade, and signed by Sir Algernon Firth and others, doals with ways of'kceping and expanding our business after the war and of keeping out tho Hun trader and his goods both by a tariff and by stringent legislation. . The committee summarises the proposals for protective tariffs made by the representatives of the different branches of industry affected. The percentage mentioned is in each case ad valorem —i.e., of the value of tho goods:— > ■ Paper manufacture, 15 p.c. Printed matter, 33 1-3 p.c. Silversmith's wares, 15 p.o. Cutlery, 10-20 p.o. Fancy leather goods, 33 1-8 p.c. Table and lighting glass, total prohibition of German and Austrian glass for three or five years; then 83 1-3 p.c. Optical and chemical glass, 25-30 p.o. for five years. Common glass wares, 10-15 p.c. Glass bottles, .5 p.o. China and earthenware, 20 p.c, with i a higher rate on fancy wares. Toys, other than mechanical, 25-80 p.c.; mechanical, a prohibitive rate. Brushes and brushware, 15 p.c. Magnetos, 33 1-8 p.c. "Preference to the Rhine." Following are the main recommendations :— More money must be given for scientific and technical education and university research. Official record should bo kept of expert chemists, engineers, and the like. All patents must be worked in the United Kingdom; British firms should have full information during the war. of enemy patents. All enemy i goods should be marked "made in Germany" (or Austria) and foreign goods marked either "Foreign" or "not British"—on 'the goods and not merely on the package. Aliens must not register trade marks with English words. The names of people importing goods with false trade marks should be disclosed ; that such names should be withheld by any Government Department amounts to screening the foreigner and his confederates here. Shippers and iaihvnys must not chargo British traders more than foreigners. It is complained that the Rhino could get clay from Cornwall cheaper than the Potteries. ■ Our canals should be extended. Joint, stock banks should encourage British enterprise; local authorities should spend the rates only on British goods, unless a "combine" is at work j financiers floating foreign loans should secure the contracts for British firms. Exhibitions should be for trade purposes and not attractions for tho public. We must have a separate Ministry of Commerce, a greatly improved Consular' service, and more travellers throughout the Empire. Tariff Protection, ' We are of opinion that where the natural supply of certain manufactured articles, which are of vital importance ,to the national safety or are essential to other industries, has fallen into the hands of manufacturers and' traders outside this country, British manufacturers ready to undertake the manufacture of such articles in this country should bo afforded sufficient tariff protection to enable them to maintain such production after tho war." • . Since the Dominions desire Imperial preference, and since we now have high direct taxation, the report calls for reasonable import dutieß; especially to prevent threatened dumping' of German goods after the war, and to safeguard our new industries started during the war. Sir Albert Spicer,_ Liberal, does not subscribe to the tariff recommendation. Ge.rman control of a "key" industry is shown by the magnetos of Bosch, of Stuttgart. British firms are now producing nrngnetos as good, but are reluctant to , expand their business unless guaranteed patronage after the war. This, says the report, could be done by a promise that Government Departments would buy only British magnetos and by a large import duty'on German ones. '