THE AUSTRALIAN TARIFF

Hokitika Guardian, 14 February 1929, Page 2

THE AUSTRALIAN TARIFF

REVISION NEEDED. AUCKLAND, February 11. Preaching the doctrine df inter-de-pendence within the Empire, there arrived in Auckland to-day by the Niagara Sir Arthur Duckham, chairman of the Economic Commission which recently completed investigations into conditions in Australia. Sir Arthur, who is accompanied by his daughter, is connected with the Woodall Duckham engineering firm at Home, and though yet a comparatively young man has had a distinguished career. During the war he was a memner of the .Council of the Ministry of Munitions, member of the Air Council and Director-General of Aircraft and Tank Production.

Sir Arthur admitted this morning that he had never worked so hard in his life as he did while the “Big Four” was making its inquiries in the Commonwealth. His work in the war was childsplay compared with it. He personally had travelled 25,000 miles in Australia and had met 125 different organisations. On an average he had made two speeches a day at various functions arranged for the Commission. Although reluctant to discuss the report of the Commission, Sir Arthur said that the fact that stood out strikingly was the wonderful facilities Mew Zealand possessed for handling its produce as compared with Australia. He thought the Commonwealth lagged behind the Dominion in that direction. It- was apparent that both . countries had big futures ahead of them. There had been remarkable development, and arising out oj the Commission s mission he hoped that trade would be encouraged between both countries and Great Britain. In Australia and New Zealand much depended on proper unity with the Empire. Neither country could exist without the Empire, and on the other hand they were essential to the Old Country.

The slump that had affected Great Britain for so long was having its reflection in these parts. In Australia they were beginning to be up against it, hut it was Sir Arthur’s conviction that prosperity would return in a year or two. , While in Australia Sir Arthur was much impressed with the good feeling that existed between the Commission and Labour and industrial organisations. He made a number of friends among the so-called Extremists in the Labour movement, and found them most reasonable and anxious to paiticipate in the development of industry. In addition lie was much struck with the factories he had inspected In Australia, their fine work, layout and general efficiency. He found workmen in the Commonwealth particularly, proficient. “ Indeed,” he said, “ 1 have never seen better workmen than in A n stralia Sir Arthur urged revision of the tariff restrictions in Australia. “The whole tariff wants balancing a bit,” he said. “It is not doing the good it might he for the country. It is so easy to get a thing unbalanced to the detriment of the country it is designed to assist. I think Australia should take steps to revise its tariff restrictions. In some cases the tariff shouk be higher and in others it should be eliminated except for revenue producing purposes.” Sir Arthur said that one of the disappointments of the Commission was that it was delayed at Canberra and had to exclude a tour of New Zealand from its itinerary. “ I much want to see your country,” he said, “ and I intend to visit it later on, possibly within the next two years. On my next trip I will visit New Zealand first.”