THE FEDERAL TARIFF.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 235, 12 October 1901, Page 3

THE FEDERAL TARIFF.

THE CENSURE MOTION.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Melbourne. Oct. 11. It is hardly likely tlie censure motion will be successful, but it is expected to materially aid the position and the task of the Committee- in adjusting the tariff to tlie revenue needs of Australia. The Freetrade party, who dominate the Senate, are talking of demanding a direct vote of j the people.

u cry ox has.is as. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Sydney, Oct. 11. The duty, equal 'o a shilling a bunch, placed on bananas represents a serious ' outlook to Fiji planters, who only have j New Zealand to look to for a market. ! The Assembly is still sitting, discussing ' the censure motion, As the Treasurer predicted a return of . two millions two hundred thousand from j the Commonwealth, and as this amount under the Federal Budget foil short by a | quarter of a million, the Opposition based . a want-of confnlence motion on the fact 1 of the Government adhering to their esti- j mate as against the Federal Treasurer, j They objected to tile colony being saddled i with a crcain deiieit. i FEELING IX TASMAXIA. 1

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright j ilohart. Oct. 11. I There is m ich resentment at the tariff, | In the legislative Council, Mr Henry,! formerly Treasurer, denounced Sir George ' Turner's suggestion as to granting a loan j as an insult to the State. If that was i

all the assistance the Federal Govern- j moot could gi\c, they could have done ; without it.

censure motion defeated. | By Telegi aph Press Association —Copyright j Sydney, Oct. 11. After an all night anil day sitting, Mr j Bees' censure motion was defeated by As j to 'JO. Fourteen members paired.

Cil A I .EKNG IXG TUB TAI! IFF PKol'i iSABS. Bv Ttiegniph—Press Association—Copyright j .Melbourne, Oct. IB j In the Federal House, Mr Heed gave! notice of motion challenging the tariff i proposals. The House adjourned until Tuesday. : AN Alf CKBAN I_> OPINION. WILL AFFECT TI.MBFIi TRADE.

(Special to TTmks.l Auckland, last night. Tlie new Customs tariff for the Australian Commonwealth is being much discussed in business circles, particularly with the view uf ascertaining how New Zealand trade with the Commonwealth will be affected. The tutol value of New Zealand exports to Australia in 1899 was i'l ,H)l),"i 10. exclusion of gold, so that all things considered, the colony has consider- I able interest in the Federal tariff, and in maintaining her business connections with Australia. Many of the products sent from New Zealand to Australian colonics re affected by new Federal tariff, and as f the total trade of just over a million sterling, .£016,405 was with hoc trade New South Wales is now brought under the Federal tariff, it will be ■ ecu that a good deal of business adjustment will lie necessary if New Zealand is to maintain her trade on the Australian continent. So far as ran be ascertained, the timber trade is likely to suffer more riously than any other Auckland industry. New Zealand timber has not only „t a free market in New South Wales,

' it also a distinct preference in the \ ifriau market as against the American and other eonipi ting timber. A leading Auckland merchant, giving his opinion, mates that he foresaw that the imposition n! the tariff u.uhd be a serious matter for New Zealand grain merchants in years of a large surplus, but pointed out that trade with Australia lepended largely on climatic conditions, as in the case of Bought or famine on the other side, liter•hunts there would be compelled to come to New Zealand lor their supplies, even if the tariff was niueli higher than that mentioned in the Federal budget.

WHAT OUR MEMBERS SAY

15y Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, last night. 11l the House of lieptTsentativcs this afternoon a short ilehato took place on the second reading of the fisheries i.neourngcment Bill, in the course of which brief reference was made to the Commonwealth tariff ami the effect it might have on this industry in particular. Mr i’mddo looked upon it as a highly protective tariff, and said considerable alterations would have to be made in our tariff to meet the ease.

Mr fcteddon said New Zealand would for a little whiie be ineonvenieneeii by the now Federal tariff and would suffer some loss, but the colony would have to seek fresh markets and'get steamers to carry pioduce to those markets. Ue also said : •• X hope to be able to announce to the House in a few days what we intend to do in this matter, it may mean a lengthened session, but 1 consider the situation is grave, and we will endeavor to meet it

Mv E. U. Allan said tho new tariff had not been passed, and it might yet be modified, but it it was agreed to in_ its present form it would be the duty of New Zealand Parliament to consider the situa--1 °Mr lusher said New Zealand had rightly or wrongly adopted the attitude ot isolation, and what else could wo expect than the announcement of a few days ago. Ho contended that whatever alteration might be made in the New Zealand tariff as authorised in New Zealand papers, it would not be altered in its bearing on New Zealand. In the course of his reply Mr Hall- . Tones pointed out that if wo could not sell our products in New Zealand we could find other markets for them. The House and Government were fully competent to deal with any position that might arise in connection with the introduction of the Commonwealth tariff. Air Napier has given notice to ask whether the Premier will submit to the House an export duty on bulk timber. Mr Flntman has also asked whether the Government will immediately arrange to despatch a line of steamers between New Zealand and South Africa.

MR SEDDOX'S VIEWS.

DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE. (Special to Timks.) Wellington, last night. In the course of a speech in the House the Premier stated that the Islands recenti\ annexed by this colony would enable' us to be independent of_ Aus’tnilia " You have seen a tariff just announced, and you say that that affects products of this colony." said Mr Seddon, ■■ l ask what does vour Island policy give you now.'" It makes you independent of them." Mr Massey : It will not have the

slightest effect. Mr Homes : They don t cat maize. Mr Massey : And they cat little meat. The Premier said that we could grow fruits within the colony of New Zealand, and one of the principal items of imports from the other colonies was made up of the very fruits wo could grow within our own boundaries oranges, lemons, bananas. We were in this respect self-contained in this colony, and v\ e could say to Australia to-morrow, •• If vou wilf put up your barrier and your tariff as a fence, we are a self-contained counirv. and you can keep your fruit." Mr Massey : Our imports are not dependent on the Federal tariff. . The Premier : \\ e can still grow fruit in the colony and be independent of AusMassey : But what has the Federal tariff got to do with that ? The Premier : They have put a tariff on Hew Zealand products ; you can put a tariff on products from Australia. Mr Massey: Is that what you are -oiDg to do ? We have got it row 1

| The Premier went on to say that in re--1 gat'd to sugar growing some of the islands . were really splendid in every respect for j sugar growing. ( A voice : 11 Coffee. ) As j to coffee, that went without saying. There : was a sugar refinery in Auckland. The cane could be grown in the islands, and ; the refining done in New Zealand. This again would make us independent of j Germany, of America, and Australia so j ; far ns sugar was concerned. We could j grow our own sugar, coffee, and cocoa in i 1 the colony of New Zealand.

PRESS COMMENTS. The tariff as a whole marks the presen Commonwealth administration a; protectionist in its ideals. There is an increasec impost oil imported goods compared tc that which has ruled in the Protectionist States hitherto. Under these circumstances, supposing every division of the Empire to erect similar barriers, the scheme for an Imperial zollverein seems a further and further fading prospect. Now Zealand will probably retaliate on Australian imports, though indeed that will not affect the Commonwealth to the extent that this colony will be affected by the new conditions. Whether the new tariff'will result in the fostering of the fairy industry and the increased production of agricultural products in Australia sto be seen. It is doubtful whether suer

will be the case. A readjustment of the markets appears the more likely result. Victoria, with the border tariff remove i, will supply New South Wales and Queen aland where New Zealand formerly stepped in, and this colony will export to that extent to the Home markets, Victoria shipping so much less. This, it appears to us, is likely to be the result of the tariff, so far as this country is concerned. Hawke's iiitv Herald.

The progress of events in Australia continue to furnish reasons why the peoplo of New Zealand should congratulate themselves upon the failure of the scheme for entangling this colony. If we had agreed to barter away our legislative liberty, we should have had all the annoyance and worry incidental to Australian difficulties, hut with no real power to remove them. Those to whom tiffs may seem a too sweeping generalisation will do well to set for themselves at this juncture a question or two. As a very pertinent one, they might commence by asking what real influence the few New Zealand representatives to which we would have beon entitled could exercise at this time in settling the tariff imbroglio'.' As another, what our representatives could do in the event of Western Australia persisting in its pistol-mouth policy of demanding railways as the alternative to secession ? As still another, what they could hope to achieve in bringing about a settlement of the Kanaka problem that would satisfy the pro-slavery party in Queensland? To put the matter briefly but fairly, everything that has happened since the Commonwealth came into existence goes to prove that New Zealand is well out of it, and that to become part of it would bo tantamount to national suicide.—Napier Telegraph.