TARIFF REVISION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10293, 30 May 1919, Page 4

TARIFF REVISION

STATEMENT BY CUSTOMS MINISTER; .

The questions of dumping and the revision of the tariff .were referred-to ,; yosterday at the annual meefittg ofc-the::*?; Wellington Chamber of Commerce by the Hon. A Mi. Myera. "Canada," said the Minister for Customs, "has had on the Statute Book ror niany years a provision to prevent, by means of a special duty, the dumping of goods into that Dominion at less than the domestic value in the exporting, country. There is little doubt that the altered conditions following. the war will the-introduc- ~... Won of somo such measure-.into N«fw Zealand. The subject has already been, under consideration by the Government and a clause dealing with this matter his been drafted for submission to Par-, liament when opportunity arises. The tariff, as at present constituted, is not - ■ sufficiently elastic to meet the rapidly- , changing conditions of modern industry and commerce. The last general revision of the tariff took place in 1907, and experience of its working has shownj '. that alterations are required iii*;mahy'. ' directions. As matters stand at _ present, these alterations cannot satisfac- • torily be made except at a time of general revision of the tariff. This cannot be rogaxded as at all satisfactory. The Government has had under considera-, tion a scheme by 'which, when it appears desirable that the tariff on any ; article should be altered, the matter can be referred to an advisory committee, on whose report the ' Minister'for . : Customs may, with the approval of the House of Representatives, modify the existing tariff as ho thinks necessary. It. is believed that some such scheme will be of benefit to manufacturers in New Zealand, especially to those who are contemplating the establishment of new industries." ',