PREFERENTIAL TARIFF.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 1052, 20 November 1903, Page 2

PREFERENTIAL TARIFF.

ACTION OF GOVERNMENT DEPRECATED.

By Telegraph—Press [Association—* Auckland last night. The following resolutions were passed by the Council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce :—This Chamber strongly deprecates the action of the Government in regard to the preferential tariff in forcing such an important and far-reaching measure through tho House at tho last moment of the session without first giving members time to thoroughly digest the details and also to consult their constituents ; further, in tho opinion of the Chamber it would have been much bettor had the Government brought tho measure down at an earlier stage of the session.

DUTY ON PRINTING PAPER.

Per Press Association. Christchurch, last night

At a meeting of the executive of tho Newspapor Proprietors’ Association, hold to-day, it was unanimously resolved “That while recognising that the imposition of a duty on printing paper not manufactured in any part of the British Dominions, is simply in accord with tho preferential tariff of the Government, tho Newspapor Proprietors’ Association of New Zealand rospectfully express the opinion that a duty of 10 per cent, should be sufficient on articles which aro at present admitted freo, and also draw the attention of the Premier to tho fact that the duty in question would operate with great harshness in cases where contracts are running between a number of newspapers and paper mills in the Unitod States.” The Association therefore respectfully urges tho Premier to make provision in tho Bill before tho House for tho exemption of all existing contracts from the operation of the proposed duty. PREFERENCE QUESTION.

Until the Preferential Tariffs Bill came down it was anticipated that the business of the session would be got over by to-nignt or to-morrow ; now it is thought that .with the progress made with that Bill tho session will close next week..

When the House met on Tuesday, the Premier moved that after next day the House meet in the mornings ■at 11-,

“ When. will tve finish ?” Mr 'Allen wanted to know.

“I see nothing to prevent us closing up on Saturday, 7 '- replied tho Premier.

Mr McLaclilan: Saturday is no use to me.- I will keep the business, going another day or two. Mr Massey: I hope that the Premier will take the advice of his own friends, and let the tariff question stand over until next session. The Premier : We cannot allow the tariff to be disorganised for so many months,; It would mean that the country woqld be flooded with foreign goods. Mr Massey : It seems to me that the House is willing to revise tho -tariff to give preference to British goods in a business-like manner, but we take exception to ' the Premier’s proposals. The Premier said it would he prejudicial to the Mother Country if he postponed the Bill. He then gave notice to move that when the Preferential Tariff Bill is in committee, he would move that the Commissioner of Customs be authorised to exempt articles in respect ‘to which the circumstances are special. This intimation was received with a good deal of laughter, .and the leader cf the Opposition remarked that the Premier surely did not expect the House to pass that.

The Premier proceeded to explait that it would meet the case of people who had made estimates and contracts ahead.

Mr T. Taylor : The Taupo Timber Syndicate ‘are importing several thousand pounds’- worth of rails from America.

The Premier : Are they. ? I am sorry for_them.Sir William Russell said he was genuinely anxious toi see preference given- to British goods, but lie was absolutely incapable of giving a responsible opinion on a question with so many ramifications as the tariff within 48 hours. He suggested that the Premier should on Saturday adjourn the House for a fortnight, and after that to keep members resolutely at business till they had passe-,i the Tariff Bill and the Baqik Bill. The Premier : A very good suggestion.-

Sir William Russell said members -should have at least a week to think over the Tariff Bill, and at least a week’s discussion on it in the H-ouse.