AUSTRALIA’S SUPER TARIFF

Hokitika Guardian, 7 April 1930, Page 5

AUSTRALIA’S SUPER TARIFF

AMERICAX COMMENT

[United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.]

(Received this day at 10 a.in.) WASHINGTON, April 5

The variety of comment, official and

unofficial, on the Australian Tariff Schedule, indicates the variance of opinion concerning the seriousness of us effect on American trade. Although everywhere there is muqli interest in what some observers declare to be “the highest tariff barrier in trie world.” the associated press reports the Department of Commerce officials predicted American exports to Australia will decline approximately 50 per cent both as a result of the schedule and business depression existing in the Commonwealth. Exports to Australia last year namely 150 million dollars, totalled-three per cent of American’s

export trade. Ihe prohibition of manufactured tobacco is expected to react favourably on America’s export of leaf tobacco to the Commonwealth, which in 1929 totalled 7065 thousand dollars. Officials are confident, hwever that as son as storks of American goods on hand are reduced, and Australian busi-

ness conditions improve, the emergency schedule will be lifted. However, it

is stated that while striking directly

against America’s foreign trade in automobiles, Australia’s schedule was viewed with little concern by Government trade officials. America’s trade with Australia amounts to only three tenths of one per cent, of this country’s total foreign business. “The correspondent, however, does not make clear that. Australia in 1929 absorbed a third of the total United States exports of automobiles to far eastern markets.”

The “New York Times” Washington correspondent says: “Late last year it was planned for American Consuls in Australia to file exceptions to tariff

lists, then in making, hut this was not done where there was no evidence of discrimination. The new tariff is expected generally to cut American trade.”

Representative Lawlev who has played an important part in the revision of the American tariff, now in Congressional Conference, said to-dify that he preferred to make no comment on the Australian schedule until he had had an opportunity to study the de-

ails. Nevertheless, he pointed out,

that United States was not in a position to make a protest unless it could show there was a' direct discrimination against American trade.