AUSTRALIA’S PROTECTIVE POLICY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2062, 13 December 1907, Page 1

AUSTRALIA’S PROTECTIVE POLICY.

EXPLANATION 13Y AIR DEAR-IN. United Press Association—Copyright MELBOURNE, Dec. 12. Mr Dcakin lias issued his promised memorandum on- the new protection scheme in a somoyvliat lengthy- document: Tlio old protection, says tlio Premier, contented itself with making good wages ,and possibly the new protection seeks to make them actual. Briefly, this will be accomplished by the imposition of excise duties on certain classes of goods yvliich enjoy the benefit of sufficient protection, and an exemption from the duties so imposed will then be made in -favor of (those in tilio manufacture of which fair and -reasonable wages are paid. In this way yvherever effective protection is granted, its benefits will he ■limited to those manufacturers yvhose employes are allowed to share in them to this extent. The first requirement is obviously to provide machinery for determination of the question of nvliat are fair and reasonable rates of wages. The authority to make this determination yv ill bo a. tribunal to be known as the Board of Trade, consisting of .three members. These, will be placed in a position of judical independence. They will be appointed for a fixed period. They will be paid adequate salaries, and will bo placed entirely out of reach of -party influence. The important and far-reaching nature of their functions will, it is thought, fully justify conferring upon tiic-m ■this degree of independence.