THE AUSTRALIAN TARIFF.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2173, 31 August 1907, Page 2

THE AUSTRALIAN TARIFF.

United Press Association —Cop/ri"h4

Received August 31, 1.4 a.in. LONDON, August 30. The Daily Chronicle declares that the British manufacturer in the abstract would like preference in Australian markets, just ns the Australian producer lilies preference in the British. The former is hostile to an increased scale of duties and thinks on the whole 1 that he is likely to bo worse oIT than under a lion-preferen-tial tariff. The attitude may open Australian producers’ eyes to an aspect of the tariff reform movement which they hitherto, perhaps, have not adequately considered. Our Tariffites’ scheme, as wo understand it, is -not- to leave Australian goods untaxed but to tax all goods alike and then tax foreign a little more. The Morning Po6t in ail energetic article oil the value of Australian preference condemns the illogical position of those exjmtiating expansion .of British trade in foreign countries, where duties on manufactures average 50 per cent., yet represent colonial duties of about half that rate as insurmountable prohibition. Received August 31, 0.35 a.m. MELBOURNE, August 30. The following are principal lines upon which Canada has asked for preference from the Commonwealth: —Bicycles, timber, furniture, leather, boots, shoes, chairs, agricultural implements, harvesters, apparel, cotton piece goods. The question of preference between the Commonwealth and New Zealand has again been revived. The Federal Government has been approached by the agent for the New Zealand Government with a view to ascertaining whether the Government is prepared to consider fresh proposals. Sir Wm. Lyno states that he reminded the agent that a preference arrangement was arrived at when Mr. Seddon was alive, but the Government re-con-structed afterwards and did not carry the scheme into effect. The agent declared that the Now Zealand Government was still anxious to come to an understanding which would be mutually beneficial to both countries. Sir Wm. Lyno told him the matter could not be considered in connection with the tariff, but when the tariff was completed he would be prepared to go more fully into the matter.