THE FEDERAL TARIFF.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 235, 16 October 1901, Page 3

THE FEDERAL TARIFF.

PER PRESS ASSOCIATION, Melbourne, October 15. Great preparations are being made for the fight over Mr Beid's censure motion to-morrow. Both sides are marshalling their forces, and the Ministerial heads have bean in close consultation. It is understood tbe Government is prepared to make certain tariff concessions in response to the dissatisfaction amongst both Freetraders and Protectionists. Ministerialists forecast a majority of from 10 to 15 for Mr Barton, when the numbers go up. Mr Beddon's complaint with regard to the tariff shutting out New Zealand producß is freely discussfd, but little sympathy is expressed by either side. Fieetraders point out that New Zealand is having a teste of the policy she deliberately adopted, and cannot complain when she feels it cuts the other way. The Protectionists say Mr Seddon ought to have come into the Federation. If he .took eo risk over Federation he cannot expect to reap any of tbe benefits. It would be a very onesided arrangement if Australian markets were open to New Zealandew, and Australia was shut out of theirs. Sydney, October 15.

The agents for the Government of Fiji and New Guinea, in a letter to the Herald, points out that the Federal tarifl threatens seriously to cripple Sydney's trade with those islands. The proposed daty on bananas is practically prohibitive, while the duties on sugar, [maize, pine applfs, cocoanuts, and °*her products will certainty, es far as Fiji is concerned, drive the trade to New Z aland. He suggests that in "rder to preset ve the trade her/>, South Saa Islands' products, sugar »xcepted, should be admitted free. He prophecies that it is only a question of time when all the Handg will become dependencies of the Commonwealth i

THK CENSUKTS MOTION.

Bce.ived 16 0.40 a.m. Melbourne, October 15. Hon. G. H. Kid moved his censure motion in a packed House. It conIdemns the tarifl, on the ground that it will press upon the necessaries of life, and appliances used in the. farming, mining, and pastoral industries more heavily than on luxuries, and will destroy the lability of the -eccnue by making imposts for national purposes a source of undue profits to a few by favouring industries at the expense of the whole community. His indictment j of the tariff was that it had no mark upon it in favour of the pioneers of the 1 country, but instead introduced a deformity to benefit artificial trade at the cost of the pioneer industries. Australia was made the preserve for the great manufacturing centres of Sydney and Melbourne. A red-hot protectionist policy was a fraud upon the people of Australia, and if adopted would place the finances of the Commonwealth on an unsound basis. Whatever the fate of the motion, he was sure the free list would rot be allowed to remain in its present unsatisfactory \ state. ' , Mr Barton, replying, said Mr Reid had not shown in any way that the Government policy was bad. He did not claim that it was a perfect tariff, but it entirely fulfilled his promise made at Maitland. The speech was urjfiitished.

CONFERENCES IN NBW ZEALAND. Wellington, October 15. The following te'egra'ra ha« been forwarded by the Premier te leading Chambers of Commerce throughout the colony : - " Tariff brought down hv the Federal Governmer t is one which must have an important bearing upon producers, and the export trade of this colony, and the matter is of such importance to the colony as a that the Government ir now considering what steps, if nny.it is desirable to adopt in order t n protect tbe trade of tbe colony, which, as a ref uH. of the high tariff imposed (parti, uhrly again-1 New Zealand), wi',l to some extent be affected. I shall be glad if you will kindly confer with members of yrur Chamber, and favour the Government with an expression of your viewß unon the altered position, and what effect you think the Federall t-.riff wi<] hive upon p-rdurers, ar-d the rxports of this trade cjl"ny. I shall b" glad if you will kindly favour me with any suggestion or proposal you may have, in connf ction therewith, before the matter is finally deilt with hy the Cabinet." The Premier ha* alse smt the fol'owing tel'gram to the prinoipal snwmi'l proprietorßoftheoolony:—"TheFeoV 1 tariff proposes to make very impor'iiut alt= rations in du'y on New Zealand timber imported into Australia. As tl'e mattT is very important to the timber indna'ry of this colony, I ehnll he exceedingly glad if yon c*n make it. convenient to meet at Wellinptoi in conference for th« pnrrvw-p. of considering the matter. lam asking the various sawmill proprietors to m»et together, as the Government contemplates taking such action as may seem most, advisable to protect the sawmilling inte r ests. Kindly confer with other saw-mill proprietors in your di"f rict, and appo'nfc delegates, and state * time when it would hi convenient for you to attend a conference. On recipt of your reply I shall telegraph further, sugges'ing the dite on which the conference should take place. It will require to be at an early date."