THE NEW TARIFF

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1422, 5 September 1878, Page 3

THE NEW TARIFF

A very largely-attended meeting was held last evening at the Canterbury Music Hall, for the purpose of considering the proposed changes in the tariff as affecting local industries and manufactures.

His Worship tho Mayor occupied tho chair, and called upon the town clerk to read the re(piisiti n asking him (the Mayor) to convene the meeting. The town clerk road the requisition as follows :

" To His Worship the Mayor of Christchurch. —9ir—Wc, the undersigned citizens, respectfully request you to call a public.ineetin* to take into consideration tho proposed changes iu the tariff aa affeciinsr 1 >cal industries and inanufa< tori"s. Signed by thirfy-Hx gentlemen. To Mesars W. ~D. Wood, .!. Andowr.n, and the other gentlemen signingthe requisition.—Gentlemen —I li'ive pleasure in acceding to your request, and liei'Rby convene the meeting for the 4th in>t., at eight o'clock p.m. at tho Canterbury Music Hall, _ Cathedr-1 square. 11. Thomson, Mayor. City Council Chamber, September 2nd, 1878." The Mayor said he had called this meeting on receipt of the rcqui-ition. He mijdtt yi-.t -■ iy that he was not very well up in tbe way m whieh the tariff of the Government; affected lo.'al industries, but he thought that suese proposild that did so affect losal industries should belaid before the public. Tlr y co;.ld all underdand one point at any rate, and tli it was the tax on beer. This wa< a very large industry, and one which hid drircn the English article out of the market. [Hear.] Ho vvQ.jld not longer detiin them, but ask Dr. Prankish to move tho first resolution.

Dr. Prankish said the question which they had met to discuss that evening was the propriety or otherwise of the various taxci proposed by the Colonial Treasurer. That gentle-

man had made his Statement two or threo nights ago, and he would road to thorn two or three extracts as to what Mr Ballance had said in moving tho second reading of tho Land Tax Act. [Read] Tho proos.:ls cf the Government as made by them during their tour of the colony must have caused considerable a-touishinerit to tho public, mid they must all agree that these promises have been very fully carried out. he would not dweil upon the inadvisabiiity of the laud tax und tho difficulty of collection, but he would ask them whether the taxes, tho proposals of the Government, were c died tor. He said no, and ho said further that tbo Government never in tended to carry them out. 'J hey had made « stamp of the country, and they wished to have a show of having carried them out. They had before them a land tax, a proposal to tax joint ttoedc companies and a beer duty, "now, he would ask them how tho workingtnau got any benefit from these taxes. He might pet a little from tho land tax, because all those with incomes over .£SOO had to contribute. Let them look at this; if any person invested his capital inloeal industries, such m potteries or beer, they escaped, but a joint stock company came underthe letter of the law. Theyniu>tr member that it was necessary for the development of the re-ourceH of the colony that every inducement should be piven to their fora avion. He might refer to the Kaiapoi Woollen Factory, which though not a profitable speculation, yet opened up another page in the his'ory of the col my. [> h ers. ]_ He said this, that it was unfair that a man who might be carrying on a large business should escape taxation and the joint st ok company be taxed. As regarded the leer daty that came hoa>e to all Englishmen. He said this, that the tax on leer was quite uncalled for, and pressed very heavily on tho working men. ["No.no."] Well, lie said it did, and he contended that the amount received from the duty would not he commensurate with the expenses of col cthn. [A Voi"e—lf duty is taken off sugar it will be as broad as it is Ion!?." This was not so; the remission of duty on sujrar w>s a fallacious one, as far as the working man was concerned. H( w uld claim the votes of the Good Templars because tho greater part of the 1 .nacy and the crime in the eo!o >y resulted from the drinking of anient spirits, and not of beer. [Hear. heir.] Mr Stout and his friends would, he thought, do more pood to their cause if the, concocted soujc drink which would be drinkable The burden of the beer tax must fall o.i the working m n, because the brewer would recoup himself for it. if t.hey handicapped the brewers heavily by taxing 'iheai they would recoup th'-ra-selves by giving them an article which would not 1)3 eondii'dve to tho health of the public [Cheers.] 'therefore, as he had said, the burden of this tax would fall on the working man. He would read them a clame from the Bill, which he sad was one of the mo-it entertaining ho had ever heard : " Clause 17 Every'owncr, agent, manager, fo' einan, or superintendent of any brewery, who evades or attempts tjeva.de the payment of any duty payable under this Act, or fraudulent.}' neglects or refuses to make true and exact entry nnd report of in the manner required by law. or to do or cause to be done any of the things by hw required to be done by him as aforesaid, or who intentionally makes 11117 false entry in tho sail books, or either of them, or in the said statement, or knowingly allows or procures the s line to be done, shall forfeit for every such offence all the made by him or for him and then in his custody or po se-sioo, and all tho vessels, utens.K and apparatus used in making the same, and he liable to a penalty of not less than one hundred nor more than two hundred pounds, and to be imprisoned for any terra'not exceeding one year." [Cheers and hisses.] He said this, that this Act was an arbitrary and high-handed Act. Men of of probity and honour in the trade—for there were men of this kind even amongst brewerswould throw up their trade if subjected to this arbitrary legislation. Then the Government, with an inconsistency he. was unable to understand, had taken off the duty on Australian wins. [" Very right too."] Well he had no objection to gentlemen holding this opinion, but he might tell them them this, that Australian wines contained far more alcohol than beer.

[Hear, hear.J If any one wanted a hi bly fortified beverage, and was too proud to drink snirits, ho would recommend hitn to drink Australian wines. If they carried out a protective policy, such ns had been introduced into Victoria they would find that capital, as had been the eve there, would seek other and safer investments. Then the working men would find themselves in this position, that they would be unable to obtain employment. As to the re mission of duties on sugar and tea, ho would ask them vrhat was the idea of remitting these d ities when the Treasury was overflowing, and when the working 1 man was in a hotter po-ition th mat any other time. | Cheers ] He won n now move his resolntion, as follows:—" That this meeting strongly condemns the policy of the present Government in introducing the system of taxing local industries, as announced by the hon. Colonial Treasurer, and that the Bill imposing tho beer tax is most unjust and oppressive, and inconsistent with tho previously announced policy of the Government to lighten the burdens of the working cla ses." Mr Wynn Williams objected to the tax on beer, on the ground that it introduced the principle of the excise duties and taxing of local industries. He wished to disabuse the minds of those present of the insinuation contained in the .article in tint night's ', Star," which warned working men not to be led away by the promoters of that meeting, whose object was to oppose the policy of the present Government. Tho article said—" We earnestly caution the working classes to beware how they play into tho hands of the opponents of the Government. Surely, it is enough to sec the organ of the so-ealed Conservative faction — they deny that they are now a party—pecking away day after flay—inanely and pointlessly it is true, hut stiil pecking—at the Government financial pr posals, and more especially their Land Tax Bill, without bein? convinced that it is not the part of the working classes to play into the hands of a section of the community who would still shirk, if they could, the duty of contributing fairly to tho taxation of tho coun try. The working men, we trust, have 100 much good sense to a'low themselves to be used by any discontented faction whatev-r, or to allow resolutions to be carried in their mine affirming propositions which, if adopted, would no doubt ha to the advantage of the few, hut would seriously endanger the adoption of a scheme of reform designed for the benefit of the many." Now, meetings hid been held at various places in tho colony to consider the question of tho tariff and not to oppose the Government. It was a public matter, and as such it was only right tho public should discusit. He therefore objected to the meeting being stigmatised as a movement to support the opponents of the Government. He felt sure of this. that the brewers and the publicans would find some way to make the consumers pay the tax. It wuLl not fall heavily, Ijccauae the total amount of the tax would only be about .£30,000; but he said this, that it was unfair to impose such a tax upon local industries iu ayoungconntry, Tho Government and Sir George Grey had been about the country advocating the improvement of what he called the misses. Sir Giorge Grey's motto bad been that the object of Governments should bo to give the greatest good to the greatest number. He went on to say that lie should like to s c e wealth diffused, and that in no country, was this move likely to enrae about than in New Zealand. 1 hen they found that his Government: was tho first to introduce a tax on local industries which would press on the working man. Then they had introduced a land tax, which was only a small one, on the landholders. The Premier had said that there were many large estates, principally in the Middle Island, the value of which had been increased enormously by the construction of large public works, which did not contribute one shilling to the revenue. This being so, he should have thought the Government would, instead of coming down with a tax on local industries, have come boldly before the House with a proposal for a property tax. Therefore he thought they were perfectly justified in complaining of the conduct of the Government in imposing a tax on local industries, and that their resolution, if carried, should receive a fair and careful consideration. They hid a perfect right, he contended, to do this, and tins without layingthemselves open to charge of being opposed to the Government. Leaving out the question whether it was a tax on beer or any other article, he would ask them whether or not local industries wen taxed: Tie said tYs —T at there was no doubt of ii; -, and therefore he seconded the resolution.

A Voice : "Will Mr Williams tell us whot other local iudustries except beer are proposed tobntaxel?

Mr Williams said h 9 bc":o7cd none were pro' posc'l now.

A : Weil, then it appears that it i j , only one industry which is proposed to be taxed. ! Cheers and hisses, i

Mr Williams said that he understood lint the Colonial Treasurer, in replying to * deputation of brewers in Wellington, said that this was only the thin end of the wedtrc. ' Ohecrs.l

A Voice: [think that Profe.»3or "Biskcrton. who haa been introduced from England, should do his duty and look after the publicans. He considered tint England expected every man to do his duty [laughter and cheers] and to look after the > publicans so that they got beer and not chemicals. F Laughter and cheers ] Mr J. C. Brooke said he had an amendment to

propope. He maintained that the brewers were honestly and fairly taxed. [Uproar.] If the present Government—[Uproar.] The Mayor—l would ask you, gentlemen, to "ive every one a hearing, as the que tion will stand on'it3 own merits If what Mr Brooke has to say docs i.ot please the audience, then he wouhl bo out voted. Mr Brooke said that all he had to say with regard to tho brewers was, that they deserved to bo taxed. [ Renewed uproar.) He came there as an .Englishman to sive his opinion, and he at-kt d th 111 o givo him fair play. All the brewers paid it tho revenue of the colony was 2.1 per cent, and the workiag man paid 11 per* cent. [Uproar.] Hewi.-kedto ask this —Was tois meeting got up to protect the brewers' interest, or the general local industries ? He said it was for tho brewers' iuterests. (Cheers and uproar.] If the brewers put more hops in their beer—[Uproar, j The present Government had done more for the working man thau any other. | Uproar. | Tho Mayor once more appealed to tho meeting. Ho would suggest that Mr Brooke should move his amendment.

Mr Brooke moved as an amendnr nt—" That the present Government should not be blamed for the imposition of the beer tax, as it is for tho benefit of the "hole population of New Zealand." [Mr Brooke then attempted to proceed, but a running fire of questions and uproar prevented him being heard.j Dr. Frankish hid spoken to tho question of local industries, but the morfl sugar and grains of paradise the better it would be for Dr Frankish. [Uproar.] He contended it was a fair and equitable tax, and one which should be imposed. [ Uproar, amid which Mr Brooko retired.] Mr James Walker seconded the amendment from the body of the hall. Mr C. M. Gray said tint he was surprised at the conduct of the publicans and brewers who occupied tho greater portion of that meeting. [Uproar.] Ho did not intend to occupy the time of the meeting, becauso he could see that tho meeting was one- ided. [Uproar ] The whole of the interruptions proceeded from the publicans. i'Uproar.] [Mr Gray having intimated his intention of moving an amendment when the previous one was disposed of, retired ] The Mayor then proceeded to put tho amendment moved by Mr Brooko. Mr C. W. Turner said before tho resolution was 'put he would just say a few words. He could not approve of the resolution or the aanendment. if the opportunity was afforded to him ho should move another resolution as follows :—" That this meeting approves of tho policy of tho Government in the direction of free trade." So far as the beer tax was concerned, he had no objaction to beer being taxed as much as it could stand. [A Voice —" Because you want to introduce English beer."] He had no objection to any one drinking English or Colonial beer, or what is better, the artesian water. [Uproar.' He said this, that if they had time to look into the Bill proposed, they would find that the clauses of it were so inquisitorial that no man there would stand it. [Cheers and hi sea.] So far as the tariff wis concerned, he told them this: that Mr Balance's proposal to remit the duties on tea and sugar would save them Ids per head on every adult member of families. Then there we re fortyfour articles omitted from the tariff altogether, so that he was unable to sco any loeal industries affected beyond the brewing interest. [Cheers andhisseO

The M iyor then put the amendment, which was carried.

Mr Tuner said lie would propose his resolution now. The advertisement convening the meeting ci'led them together to consider the question of local industries They hid pissed a resolution to the effect that tho Government should not be blamed. He wanted them to go further, and say that the Government should be thauked, and made to feel that they had 'he synipitby of the public with them. So far as the duty on tea was concerned, he might say that he felt that it would have been better to have retained the sixpence duty on tea, and an equivalent taken off other articles. He wished to see tho '1 reasurer go further, and take the tax off timber. [" Why should the tax be taken off timber and not off flour?'] "Well, what he said was this, that the Treasurer should proceed in the direction of free trade. tie wanted to those persona taxed who_ had made large fortune-", not by their own exertions, but by the improvement of their property by means" of the public works, to which they had not contributed in any degree. He would now move—" Thai this meeting approves of the ireneral policy of the Government as set forth by the Hon". Colonial Treasurer, in the direction of freetrada."

Mr J. C. Brooke seconded the motion, which was carried, with but few dissentients. A gentleman from the body of the hall then ascended the platform and proceeded to address the meeting, advocating, so far as could be gathered from his somewhat incoherent address, that lawyers, doctors, butchers, and publicans should be looked after by legislation.

A vote of thanks to the Mayor, proposed by Dr. Frankish, closed the p ocCßdinsrs.