The Fielding Star. SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1885. The Tariff

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 7, 27 June 1885, Page 2

The Fielding Star. SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1885. The Tariff

It is amusing to notice the calm assumption by several of the large manufactory directories that the increases in the Customs tariff were made entirely for their especial good and welfare, and that the Colonial Treasurer had their interests alone in view when he assumed the role of a Protectionist. The patronising manner in which they have written or telegraphed to the Government to say that they are already sufficiently protected, either shows that they are in possession of influonce in the Cabinet of which the general public is unaware, or they have very enlarged ideas of their own importance, and do not think it necessary te modestly wait until the Cabinet consults them as to what articles Bhall or shall or shall not be subjected to the excise, but come forward uninvited, with advice which, even in its best aspect is necessarily of a character imbued with prejudice and self-interest. We hope that Sir Julius Yogel will receive with grave doubt and suspicion opinions emanating from such quarters. The universal condemnation of the tariff by every journal in the colony is in itself strong evidence that it is very defective. Sir Julius Voobl confessed as much when he said it was not " cast iron," and promised to make certain modifications which may render the impost less irksome or unpopular. One thing which must strike an unbiased person is the howl which is raised by the importers of certain classes of goods because certain means of evading the Customs have been discovered, and exposed, while means have been taken to compel the legal or equitablecontribution to the revenue which was intended by previous Acts. There has been, and will be until that distant day when there will be no Customs or taxes, a continual war of wits between importers and collectors of Customs. The keen intelligence of the ready-witted trader is too often more than a match for the average Government official, whose chief end in life is to do his duty in the most perfunctory manner, and avoid collision with his official superiors. He has not the incentive of immediate pecuniary benefit, such as the trader has, to sharpen his wits. In such a contest the greater intelligence, backed by a desire of gain, must win. It is in this contest, which has been going on for several years, that the revenue has suffered so heavily, while the people who have consumed the articles have paid nearly or quite as much for them as if the full amount of duty had been paid. The exquisite simplicity of those documents which "in the trade are called salted invoices" has always

recommended itself to the commercial mind. Although one or two blunderers | have been detected, hundreds escape | every day. In the present tariff we I are told that a means exists of checking this practice, but we fear that in shutting one outlet a score of others have been opened. In the consideration of this question, the main point, which is the collection of revenue to meet the current expenditure of the colony, appears to have been lost sight of altogether. The causes which have led up to this necessity have yet to be explained by the Colonial Treasurer, who will have an opportunity of doing so in the debate now going on in the House.