MOTOR CARS AND THE TARIFF.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2138, 22 July 1907, Page 2

MOTOR CARS AND THE TARIFF.

WHY THE DHTYAVAS REMOVED. (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. Interviewed upon the proposal to allow motor care in free, Sir Joseph Ward said tl)at this applied to Brit-ish-mamm*factured motor cars only, and that in the tariff there was a

20 per cent, duty against all motor cars from other countries. He stated that the reason it was proposed to admit British motor ears in free was due to the representations that have been made thii-t the duty of the last tariff made it impossible for the average person to import motor cars in

consequence of the comparatively high price with duty added. They were only available to the rich, or to those who were comparatively well off. By the removal of the duty numbers of them would in all probability bp imported for trades purposes and for general use. By following tbis course they largely increased employment, as chauffeurs in most cases would \ }e ,- e _ Tjuired. In addition, the general repairs of most motor cars yearly would give employment to a considerable number of persons. In America, England and the Continent a considerable army of mechanics were employed in all the leading towns doing nothing but repairs. Motors were now regardsd as luxuries, and it was only a small proportion of the community that could afford to use them for such a purpose. They had, however, developed such a. remarkable degree scientifically that they had come” to stay. Tim Government looked at the matter not (from tho poijit of view of them being a. luxury,, hut from the standpoint of being used for practical purposes by our people. They were now in use in connection with busi-

ness and industrial work of all kinds in every country of the world, and it was with the object of encouraging their use with attendant employment that had influenced the Government ip putting British-made cars in the free list and placing a duty of 20 per cent- against, the foreign-manafactured article. Sir Joseph Ward said he saw no reason why the preferential duty should not be .increased to 30 per cent, and a duty of 20 per cent placed on the bodies of British-made cars allowing machine parts to come

in free. Bodies could be made in the colony, hut the other parts could not he manufactured berg.