CUSTOMS TARIFF

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 179, 24 April 1919, Page 4

CUSTOMS TARIFF

NO REVISION LIKELY THIS YEAR.. Replying to a question by a reporter as to whether there was any probability of tho Gustoms tariff being revised during the coming session, tile lion. Arthur Myers, Minister of Customs, 6tated that, notwithstanding the fact that no revision had taken place since 1907, he did not anticipate that one would bo placed before Parliament this year. The Minister added, however, that a great number of applications had been received from time to time, both for further protection on articles to be made here and for freedom from duty on articles to be imported. In most of these cases the only reply which could be sent was that the matter would receive consideration when the tariff sohednles were: next under review. He admitted that the present tariff did not entirely suit the changed conditions that had occurred since the schedules were framed. Various difficulties of classification had arisen with progress of invention, and the operation of tho preferential schedules,. especially during the war, was recognised as having pressed hardly upon merchants who Ll been unable to .obtain goods from British sources owing to resti c- & of course could not ■"W^ sated in respect of trade industries wheh it was intended to fflpport with p tecHm. duties within he Dominion so Jh due M.K. submitted to the House that w_ouldjneeUie__year.