TARIFF COMMISSION

Southland Times, Issue 20080, 18 January 1927, Page 9

TARIFF COMMISSION

MOTOR TRADERS’ VIEWS. IS IT AN ATTEMPT TO TINKER.? INDEPENDENT COMMISSION. DESIRED. The Government has announced the appointment of a commission to investigate tariff matters, and report to the Minister of Customs not later than June 30th, 1927. “The appointment of this commission will be welcomed by the motor trade,” says the “Radiator,” the organ of the Motor Trade Association, “as an opportunity to have tariff matters regarding motor vehicles investigated before the tariff is revised next session. Tho commission is purely a departmental one, and consists of the Comptroller of Customs, two of the officials of the Customs Department, and an official of the Department of Industries and Commerce. Whilst we have confidence in these officials, we think such an investigation should have been made by a commission with wider interests than those selected. 'ATTEMPT TO TINKER. “It seems inevitable that the point of view taken will be that of the Customs official, and if the report is to satisify the public it would have been better that other interests should have been represented. From present appearances it looks as though the present is only another attempt to tinker with the tariff, and is unlikely to give satisfaction to those vitally interested. We think that the time has arrived when the whole tariff question should be thoroughly investigated, and the intentions of the Government declared. “We should know if the intention of the Government is to still further protect industries which cannot be built up under the present tariff, or if the purpose is merely another turn of the screw to provide more revenue. A thorough investigation of the whole position by a competent independent commission is badly needed at the present time.”