FEDERAL TARIFF.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8909, 31 August 1907, Page 2

FEDERAL TARIFF.

British Opinion. Press Association- —Copyright v London, August 30. The Daily Chronicle declares that the British manufacturer in the , abstract would like preference in Australian markets just as the Australian produce!' would like preference ill the British. The former is hostile to the increased scale of duties and thinks that on the whole he is likely to bo worse off thafi under a non preferential tariff. This attitude may open the eyes of Australian producers to this aspect of the tariff reform movement, which they hitherto perhaps have not adequately considered. The British tatiffites’ scheme as wo understand it is not to leave Australian goods nntftxed but to tax all goods at present untaxed —all goods alike—and then to tax foreign a little more. .London, August 30.

The Morning Post in an energetic article on the value of Australian preference condemns the illogical position of those expatiating on the expansion of British trade in foreign countries whore the duties against manufacturers average 50 per tent, who yet represent the colonial duties of about half that rate as an insurmountable ptohibition. , “ The Daily Telegraph’s chief leading article makes strounoirs protest against tho ignorance and fanaticism wherewith the Australian tariff is discussed in the Ministerial press hero, which will risk causing it to bo withdrawn. It says the proffered preference is a substantial boon or immediate value aud enormous potential advantage and contends that Australia has forewarned ns of intention Ho foster her own manufactures. She is absolutely entitled to foster them, aud is under no fiscal obligation to ns. She gets the same treatment as foreign countries here. It is obvious and inevitable _ that some lines of British trade will bo injured, but it is unwise aud unbusinesslike to throw the helve after the hatchet and say- because wo cannot have everything we will throw 1 away all. Tiie question is whether tho inevitable will be unmitigated as in the foreign or mitigated_ ax in the Canadian market. Considering that Australia’s purchase per head is twice Canada’s aud that she is_ Eng-

land’s best market her offer of preference is as valuable as Canada’s. It concludes by hoping cool counsels will prevail aud assures Mr Doakiu that the matter is hotter understood than the Radical press suggests, despite Messrs Asquith aud Lloyd George’s appreciation of tho principle of preference expressed at the Imperial Conference. It adds that Mr Lloyd George’s judicious intervention might still save preference in Australia.