WELLINGON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 March 1924, Page 1

WELLINGON NOTES.

TARIFF WALLS. VIEWS OF .BRITISH TRADE COMMISSIONER. (Special to “Guardian”.) WELLINGTON, March 14 The new British Trade Commissioner —comparatively new, that is—took ills courage in both hands when addressing the members of the To Aro Advancement Society yesterday, and, disregarding for the moment the diplomatic side of liis office, plunged con ainnre into a good free-trader’s denunciation of tariff walls. Protective duties, Mr Elmslie declared, interfered with (lie natural course of trade and disturbed markets. They might, serve their purpose temporarily. but once there was a settling down they did nof have in in! i effect. Take, for example, the case of the United States, which had put un one of die highest tariffs ever imposed. Vet in 1022 the volume of British manufactured goods

going into America was as large as it had ever been in any year in history. That was the effect of the most scientifically devised modern tariff. So the ultimate result was not to check imports into the country, but, to raise the values in the country itself. .Mr Elmslie himself believes in leaving trade to lake its own natural channels. Every country had goods it was naturally filled to produce, lie said, and if (‘very

country were allowed to interchange with every other country the milleniuin of peace-making and prosperous trade would ho reached. This is ail old, old gospel which few politicians in New Zealand arc vet daring to preach. VOLUNTARY TAXATION.

The “New Zealand Times,” in its own characteristic way, makes merry

his morning over Air Massey’s sug-

gestion that Customs duties are not taxes, but merely voluntary payments. “In his confidential mood," it says.

"the Prime Minister has declared that in the comparison of the taxations levied per head in various States, the Customs revenues ought to he, ii the comparison is fair, left out. Why? Are we the only people who enjoy the luxury of a tariff? The only Ftatc, outside of England, which lias no tariff to sneak of is the State which is the home of the unspeakable Turk. Ts it lie cause lie offers the only speakahle comparison that a general comparison is impossible? We really hope not. for we object strongly, for obvious reasons. to be bracketed in a spenkable comparison with the unspeakable Turk. But we are bordering on injustice to Mr Massey. AA’e will not press the humorous suggestion. \A e are content to point out that all the States we have named are surrounded by tariff walls iusi ns we are. and, therefore, we ask why should the tariff taxation he left out of any comparison between our tariff exactions and theirs." The Prime Minister's jest seems to attract more attention than his serious words. THE PARTIES. Mr A. D. Alel.eotl ALP., the chairman of the Reform organising executive. returned to Wellington yesterday after concluding an extensive tour of tlie constituencies in the interests ot his party. According to his own account of his observations during his travels lie lias found everything in the Reform garden lovely. “The result n! my travels,” he reports in the “Dominion” this morning, "have .satisfied me that, notwithstanding the difficul- ... . the Reform Party has been fon-! fronted with ever dice its taking office. Air Alassev's maim still stands far away higher than does that of any oilier loader in this country. His obvious honesty of intention for the welfare of all seel ions of the community, while not recognised by some, is gen-

orally conceded, even by opponents. \ know what f am talking about- when I say that .Mr Wilford’s claim to be the leader of moderate Labour in this country is a lallacy ol tlie first water. Organised Labour is behind Air Holland to a man. The future political fights in this country, as in almost all other countries, will rage between organised Labour on the one hand and those opposed to Socialism on the oilier.” Oi course Mr .McLeod had satisfied himself on those points before he set out on his travels, but it will be reassuring to other mem tiers of the party to have lhem set out in this emphatic fashion. the discordant note.

The only discordant note Mi' McLeod detected in tlie chorus ol praise ol Reform ho hoard everywhere was a certain measure ol dissalislnotion with i lip Government's inability to inn in - tain I lip flow of clionp inonoy from Ihe Advances Department. Here tlio “Dominion” pomps 11 1 morning to the assistancp of the hnrly member for Wairarapa. • ‘Tito figures sneak for themselves ami prove conclusively it s:l ys, “i,hut tlio Government has f'cen striving to tlio limit of its resources to moot the demand made on tlio Deni'Tliiont. Tlio difficulty which now <:nfronts it is to secure sufficient money to meet requirements at a reasonable rate of interest . The Government itself can not at the moment borrow overseas at anvthing like the low rate at which it has hem, lending money !h rough the Advances Department, and it win ho a difficult matter indeed for it to continue to find loans in any quantity for settlers and workers at the old rates. Still it is making the effort and it is pleasing to note that Mr yi.... ;( , i s hopeful of maintaining a fair rate of advances.” In this mattci I,oth l.ihernls and Labourites will sympathise with the Prime Minister in hD difficulties.