The Tariff.

Manawatu Herald, 14 March 1896, Page 2

The Tariff.

♦ Captain Russell speaking at Hastings on Monday referred fco the Tariff and said :— The alteration in the Tariff, he said, was the most extraordinary thing that God or man had iver looked down on. The Govornmont simply scouted the proposals of tha Commissioners ap» painted and the arguments they used, and instead of adopting their report, a series of Tariff resolutions were brought down, and, as -he (Captain R.i33el!) had prophesied, tin taxation had fallen on those least ab'e to bear it. At least £50,000 was taken out of the pocket ■» of the people. When the Opposition found thnt there was to be a large increase in taxation all round, he ('..tiptain Rus-el!) gave notice to rescind the resolution 5 ?, and the effect ultimately was that several alteration-! were withdrawn, resulting in a saving of £30,000 in taxation. He believed iu Free Trade as far- as', possible, and instanced two Pftsee

r ■ — — Wbere Protection had been of vast injury to the (iolony. One of then! $as t.He e^Ubilishti^edfc of a rrlatch' factory in Wellington, b£ whic.ii a loss of £12,000 was distinctly made. The duty formerly paid on matches amounted to £16,000 ; now, with an expenditure of £4000 in* wages for local production, the balance would go to the manufacturers, and the £12,000 must be put on something similar case was that of a ■TciPwtte company established here. The duty on tobacco at 4-3 amounted to £22,000; the rate on tobacco imported for manufacturing purposes was only 2?, and, assuming the wages to be £10,000, a present would be made to the manufacturers of £12,700, while the cost, as in the case of matches, would be the Same to the consumers.