The Chronicle LEVIN: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28. 1916. THE TARIFF ON IMPORTS OF WOOLLEN GOODS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 28 September 1916, Page 2

The Chronicle LEVIN: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28. 1916. THE TARIFF ON IMPORTS OF WOOLLEN GOODS.

Tlie woollen manufacturing induvtri'v of New Zetland. in consequence of the great demands made iti this dominion for the supply of military clothing, have been placed in a position of comcommereial topsy-turvevdom. Though the experience if, unique, no great complaint is heart 1 ,, inasmuch as the change has proved to be financially profitable for the woollen mill proprietaries. The woo'len manufacturing companies do-

g busMie'p in New Zealand are ex-

prriencing at present, a, period of prosperity without precedent in their history; yet their profit* are being derived from the manufacture of garments for the defence department, in place of coming as formerly from the sale of locally manufactured text'le goods to the general public. The latter avenue o[ dersiiible industry has developed and extended during,a long period of years in ulnch some lean ones were included, and a great deal had to be done to counteract the advene interests of the ■importers of foreign and other woollen goods that, were offered to the detriment of the colonial industry: vot today the dominion woollen mil lis are in the anomalous position of having to import from America or elsewhere n number of textile manufactures that in times of pence ;New Zealand' mills were able to produce for export as well as for home use. This was madi? possible bv the protection afforded to the iNvw Zealand manufacturer by a swin"°'n.'- tariff against all imported woollen gotuls. The tariff is with us still; but the Industry i* retrograding. The t.ii iff undoubtedly will be maintained; the increasing needi for raising by all available means_Jklic -moneys that are essentia) to a suocessfuJ prosecution of the empire's great war will ensure that continuance; but side by side with tbi.s ceitainty there really does exist a condition of, affairs positively ludicrous. A\ e see the woollen manufacturing companies of Xew Zealand, built up and fostered by high (and 1 undou'btedily necessary) customs tariffs, reduced to-day to the expedient of importing from far countries a big proportion of the goods needed by them to keep intact their business of supplying wholesale private customers with their needs in regard to woollens. After the w<ir, trade routine may be resumed to an appreciable

degree, but iit goc« almost without haying that the.importing business now in process of bring revived will be continned its a mutter of mere convenience when the necessity for i*t has departed. In a few years time New Zealand may witness the Gilh:»rtiati (spectacle of a deputation of directors from the New Zenlandi wcollen mills approaching the Premier and the Minister of iCustoms with a request that some diminution be re made in the high tariff now levied on a imports of woollen goods to this do•y minion.