WELLINGTON NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 September 1929, Page 5

WELLINGTON NEWS

U-.S.A. TARIFF.

(Special Correspondent)’

WELLINGTON, Sept. 12

The revision..of the United States tariff,' which should ibe completed shortly, has caused numerous protests .to be voiced;, by - other; nations, but it is a mistake to suppose that the revision is endorsed in the: United States, on the contrary there have 'been very : strong arid ■ vigorous protests in the country /itself. It seems that American .Opposition to the bill before Congi'ess; has to *be delicately worded. : AnV|i{istanc-e is iix‘ resolution adopted by . : ari'“unaiiiniofifiivote of fhe American! Exporters and - Importers’ Association, ;at New;/York i op June 13, and subsequently.'presented to Congress. .If length were the ' test of effectiveness would surely accoriiplish' : i its object. It reads:— , ■ V 7 j .' V

Whereas the present outstanding position of the United States in world trade requires-the utmost delicacy in handling all matters affecting international economic adjustment* 7 and whereas maintenance ancl further development of. American foreign trade are vital for continuance, of our national prosperity; and, whereas any action on, the part of the United States* that would cause, needless .injury to the trade of foreign countries and consequent offenVe to foreign traders, and so to their governments must result" in ill-feeling sales resistance. to American merchandise, and in foreign governmental reprisals against American trade; and, whereas Bill No. H.lfc. 2667 involves in : creases’ of tariff affecting imany industries (including such * prominent examples as ‘ sugar, hides; wool and lumber), which, if , enacted into law, would cause drastic injury to Americuyi trade with Canada, Cuba, South America. Australasia, South Africa 1 and other important friendly countries, who are most-’valuable customers for vital- American products. Now, therefore, be •*.it •* resolved that the American Exporters and Importers’ Association petition Congress, in adjustment of specific items’ of the pro-, posed .tpriff, to- -give ' adequate.-- consideration to the welfare of American export. trade. ; and, si natjopal, are greater tHqn* the restricted interests' of Tanyijpartiqjilar.. section of the :’country, tb'eli initiate fiaiU change? in tariff not strictly necessary for the proper protection a and benefit of the. country as a. whole. .......

..Notwithstanding the : high tion tariff trip. United States admits a great amount 'of merchandise duty free. : A recent'number,'of the ‘.‘Statist’ ’ points out that | the statistics which ato nqw available concerning thp free and dutiable .imports of that country in 1927 are of; particular interest,* in view’ of the . anxiety. arous-; ed in .JSurop'e' -by,;’the : proposed tariff changes,"in' Cyiporipa. ■ For the United - statps pa a whole , in' 1927,;; fiveeightils' oU tho: totar valhe of general imports fpoip-’ail countries; ' Combined tlie proportion , l ;of f the various economic.. classes reported'as. free of duty in 1927 lyas aij' 'follows: Crude mater-, ials $2 • per. cent ;’ foodstuffs 49 ' .per. cent ; senu-maiipfaetures. 35 per cent. It;: wnsi particularly ■!,; interesting to study the . percentage distribution Vof ijnpqrts, f ( ree and dutiable,; from leading individual ' countries... ( * *■•-• - >,• "From tfio figures 'given it is at once obvious why Italy’, for example, i'V particularly perturbed by . the recent tariff 'increases,*. for the percentage .of dutiable goods imported received from ..that country• was already in 1927* over 81 per cent of the whole compared with ; 62., per cerit .iiw/Kthecase of ,the United Kingdom whichit may be noted is the lowest percentage of an European country except the, Irish Free State and Sweden. 7:/The proportion *in the case ’of Sweden is particularly low, being only just over 17 per cent: -This is marked contradistinction to the percentage of all other European countries, the aggrograte dutiable percentages ’ froiri Europe as a whole being 64. The pro'tosts from France concerning the new tariff: bill arc also ' comprehensible in the 'light. of'tlie * fact that in 1927 over 72 per ' cent of French imports into America were ; liable -to duty. Among the * dominions and dependencies of the British Empire, the .percentage of Canadian imports;.du|iable was 27, compared with 50 for,: Australia, neailv 30 for New Zealand, 62 for British . India, , 0.6 . for British Malaya, 8 for Ceylon and 3 for British Westi Africa.. 7*: