THE TARIFF.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2150, 5 August 1907, Page 4

THE TARIFF.

(Extract from “Lyttolton Times,” July 27.) SOME EXPLANATIONS. (KK.OM OUll COIUIKSeONDHNT.) W'Ef jVjINOTON, July 20. It, would appear, from wlia.t litis uppearid iu tlu> Press of tho colony, that tin- nviTiiitc citizen Joes not realise how Jircetly lie will hq benefited by the changes proposed in conncctio ■ with the tariff. There lias been a vast amount of discussion and criticism iu i-on.ni etion with motor-cars, biliinrd-tubles, and hoots, but these am not tho points in. the tariff, proposals that should appeal to the public. The removal of the duty‘from a very large number of articles of food ai (1 clothier- ;* vastly move i.mpontan. to the t i.. payer than any changes iu rognrd to motor-ears and bil-liard-tables, ambit may he of interest to oxnln.ni the nroposals in some detail. ' . AIITICI.ICS of food. The duty is to he removed altogether from ‘the following articles of food: —Sugar, currants, raisins, sultanas, almonds, prunes, figs, dates, maizeua. corn Hour, treacle, golden syrup, tartaric acid, cream of tartar, citric acid, bicarbonate of soda, rice Hour, barley Hour, sugar of milk, Barcelona nuts.-and. Brazil nuts.

The following table will illustrate the importance of the changes in rogard to some of tlio more important items:

Present Duty Article. per lb. Sugar id —equal to 30 p.c. Currants Id —equal to 30 p.c. Raisins Id—equal to 30 p.c. Sultanas ....... Id—equal to 30 p.c. Almonds 2d—equal to 10 p.c. Barcelona nuts 2d—equal to 33 p.e. Brazil nuts 2d—equal to 70 p.c. Prunes 2d—equal to 60 p.e. Figs 2d—equal to CO p.c. Dates 2d —equal to 20 p.c. Tho reductions in prices that must .result from the removal of those duties should appeal to tlio householder. COTTON GOODS. Then the duty is to be removed from cotton piece goods. This means that tlio housewife will no longerhave to pay a 10 per cent, duty when she purchases turkey twills, dress prints, denims, drills, dimities, flannelettes, Army grey shirting, moreen canvas for fancy work, dungaree for working suits, cotton cord, linings for dressmaking and liberty muslins, nor will sho have to pay a 20 per cent, duty in connection with tapestry, crotons, chintz, art crepe, serges, velveteens, plushes, all kinds of damasks, mo-quet-tes, all sateens, 1 incites, crepons, crimps, zephyrs, ginghams, all cotton prints, piques, vestings, marcollas, muslins, dress and millinery nets, window net, holla mbs, curtains, blind Hollands, bed and pillow ticking, roller towellings, maiusook, dress Hollands, pillow linens, linen sheeting, linen frontings, crash towellings, all linen towellings and damask and table linens. Tlio removal of the 20 per cent, duty will mean a reduction to the public of from os to 6s in the £, while the removal of the 10 per cent, duty will make a difference of something! like 4s iu the £. Iu other words, goods that previously cost £1 will he obtainable for Us or 15s in the one case and 16s to 17s in the other ease. The goods, moreover, are such as are bought and used by every housewife iii the colony.

OTHER REDUCTIONS. Appliances for the assistance and relief of the sick, such as silk and rubber bandages, crutches, trusses, and artificial limbs, are to be admitted free. Beekeepers are to be assisted by the free admission of the implements of their craft, with the exception of the boxes, which can bo manufactured locally. This concession covers bee-smokers, wax extractors, rubber gloves, queen cages, comb foundations, honey knives, honey extractors, and wax presses. Cliemual fire extinguishers are to qome in free. Paper hangings, which now bear a duty of 15 per cent., are to be admitted free. This will mean a reduction in price to the public equal to a cash discount of about 4s per pound. All window glass, including plate glass for windows, has been placed on the free list. It is at present subject to a duty of 2s per 100 ft superficial. Plate glass bevelled or silvered retains the duty. BILLIARD TABLES.

There has been an endea ror to make political capital from the reduction of the duty on billiar 1-tab.o furnishings from 25 per cent, to 20 per cent. The change has been maJo in order to avoid confusion. At present billiard tables are charged ■2O per cent., but the furnishings, bearing the 25 per cent, duty, have to be classed in all sorts of strange ways. Billiard balls are' classed as fancy goods, brass rods and runners as brass manufactures, cues as fancy goods, cue clips as hardware, cue cases as wooden ware, cue tips as leather manufactures, and pockets as furniture. The proposal is simply to make the complete table bear a uniform duty.

HOSIERY. The desire for uniformity is responsible for the much criticised change in regard to hosiery. Hosiery, in the eyes of the Customs Department, includes all sorts of woven underwear for both sexes. Some of the women’s garments are decorated with a little lace insertion or other decoration, and they had to be classed as '‘garments” and charged 25 per cent. In order to avoid the constant difficulties of such a system the Government has put all hosiery on the 25 percent, basis. The reduction of the duty on lace goods, ribbons, crepe, silk, satin, and velvets froip 25 per cent, to 20 per cent, is explained in the same manner. The change involves only a slight concession, but it facilitates examination enormously. The 20 per cent, duty is now imposed on all goods of that class, and the necessity for a detailed examination of each consignment is thus avoided. Sometimes it has been necessary for the customs officers to cut off a piece of material and subject it to a chemical test in order to ascertain whether it contained silk. Now all piece goods are on the uniform 20 per cent, basis. The importer is relio/ -d of anxiety and vexatious den/;, and the work of the Customs Department is lightened very considerably by the simplification of, the tariff. These are detaijs, however, which the politicians will discuss. The outstanding feature of the new tariff is the reduction on goods used by every man, woman, and child in the coiony, and that feature seems 'u some danger of being obscured by tl.e smoke of the battle ranging . ju'id the motor-cars and billiard-tables.