THE TARIFF.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3769, 3 August 1907, Page 3

THE TARIFF.

Some explanations. It would appear, from what has appeared in the Press of the colony that the average citizen does not realise how directly he will be benefited by the changes proposed in connection with the tariff. There has been a vast amount of discussion and criticism in connection with motor-cars, billiardtables, and boots, but these are not the points in the tariff proposals that should appeal to the public. The removal of the duty from a very large number of articles of food and clothing is vastly more important to the taxpayer than any changes in regard to motor-cars and billiard tables, and it may be of interest to explain the proposals in some detail. ARTICLES OF FOOD. The duty is to be removed altogether from the following articles of food Sugar, currants, raisins, sultanas, almonds, prunes, figs, dates, maizena, cornflour, treacle, golden syrup, tartaric acid, cream of tartar, citric acid, bicarbonate of soda, rice flour, barlej’flour, sugar of riiilk, Barcelona nuts, and Brazil nuts. The following table will illustrate the importance of the changes in regard to some of the more important items: — Present duty

The reductions in prices that must result from the removal of those ditties should appeal to the householder. COTTON GOODS. Then the duty is to be removed from cotton piece goods. This means that the housewife will no longer have to pay a 10 per cent, duty when she purchases turkey twills, dress prints, denims, drills, dimities, flannelettes, Army grey shirting, moreen canvas lor fancy work, dungaree for working suits, cotton cord, linings for dressmakings and liberty muslins ; nor will she have to pay a 20 per cent duty in connection with tapestry, cretons, chintz, art crepe, serges, velveteens, plushes, all kinds of damasks, moquettes, all sateens, linettes, crepons, crimps, zephyrs, ginghams, all cotton prints, piques, vestings, marcellas, muslins, dress and millinery nets, window nets, hollands, curtains, blind hollands, bed and pillow ticking, roller towellings, nainsook, dress hollands, pillow linens, linen sheeting, linen frontings, crash towellings, all linen towelling and damask and table linens the removal of 20 per cent duty will mean a reduction to the public of from 5s to 6s in the pound, while the removal of the 10 per cent duty will make a- difference of something like 4s in the pound. In other words, goods that previously cost £1 will be obtainable for 14s or 15s in the one case, and 16s to 17s in the other case. The goods, moreover, are such as are bought and used by every housewife in the colony. OTHER REDUCTIONS. Appliances for the assistance and relief of the sick, such as silk and rubber bandages, cructches, trusses and artificial limbs, are to be admitted free. Beekeepers are to be assisted by the free admission of the implements of their craft, with the exception of the boxes, which can be manufactured locally. This concession covers > beesmokers, wax-extractors, rubber gloves, queen cages, comb foundations, honey knives, honey extractors, and wax presses. Chemical fire extinguishers are to come in free. Paper hangings, which now bear a duty of 15 per cent are to be admitted free. This will mean a reduction in price to the public equal to a cash discount of about 4s per pound. All window glass, including plate glass for windows, has been placed on the free list. It is at present subject to a duty of 2s per 100 ft superficial. Plate glass bevelled or silvered retains the dutv. billiard TABLES. There has been an endeavour to make political capital from the reduction of the duty on billiard table furnishings from 25 per cent to 20 per cent. The change has been made in order to avoid confusion. At present billiard tables are charged 20 per cent, but the furnishings bearing the 25 per cent duty, have to be classed in all sorts of strange ways. Billiard balls are classed as fancy goods, brass rods and runners as brass manufactures, cues as fancy goods, cue clips as hardware, cue cases as wooden ware, cue tips as leather manufactures, and pockets as furniture. The proposal is simply to make the complete table bear a uniform duty. HOISERY. The desire for uniformity is responsible for the much-criticised change in regard to hoisery. iloisery, in the eyes of the Customs Department, includes all korts of woven underwear for both Sexes. Some of the women’s garments are decorated with a little late insertion or other decoration, amd they had to be classed ‘ ‘ garand charged 25 per cent, ju orden to avoid the constant difficulties of such a system the Government has put all hoisery on the as per (cent basis. The reduction. of thfe duty on lace goods, ribbons, cn’epe, silk, satan, and velvets fron» 25 per cent to 20 per cent is extplained in the same man-

ner. The change involves only a slight concession, but it facilitates examination enormously. The 20 per cent duty is now imposed on all goods of that class, and the necessity for a detailed examination of each consignment is thus avoided. Sometimes it has been necessary for the customs officer to cut off a piece of material and subject it to a chemical test in order to ascertain whether it contained silk. Now all piece goods are on the uniform 20 per cent basis. The importer is relieved of anxiety and vexations delays, and the work of the Customs Department is lightened very considerably by the simplification of the tariff. These are details, however, which the politicians will discuss. The outstanding feature of the new tariff is the reduction on goods used by even’ man, woman, and child in the colony, and that feature seems in some danger of being obscured by the smoke of the battle ranging round the motor cars and billiard tables.

Article per lb. Sugar / 3 d to 30% Currants id to 30% Raisins id to 30% Sultanas id to 30% Almonds 2d to 10^ Barcelona nuts... 2d to 380^ Brazil nuts 2d to 700^ Prunes 2d to 66% Figs Dates 2d 2d to 60% to 20%