The Daily News. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1901. THE FEDERAL TARIFF.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 236, 17 October 1901, Page 2

The Daily News. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1901. THE FEDERAL TARIFF.

The Press throughout the colony is busily engaged in discussing tlie Federal tariff, and there appears to be a wide difference of opinion as to the effect of the proposals as regards New Zealand. Generally the feeling seems to be that a considerable loss will be inflicted on producers and exporters of farm and dairy prodnre, until other markets are found. Fortunately the effect of what is undoubtedly intended by the Federal Parliament as a blow to New Zealand trade will be felt less just 1 now thafi at any other time, as the demand for New Zealand products in Bouth Africa renders us much more independent of Australia than hitherto. There are always twosides toevery question, and while Australia is at times an excellent market for New Zealand produce, New Zealand is also a good market for a great many articles exported from Australia. Undoubtedly a considerable quantity of the pre luce sent to Australia is re-exported, and it is quite probable that under the Dew tariff many of the vessels, which now load in Australian ports will come on to New Zealand for cargoes. In 1899 the exports from New Zealand to New South Wales 1 were X 1,118,699, and to Victoria) £412,882, a total of £1,531,521, while the imports for the same period from New South Wales were £748,201, from Victoria £407,078, a total of £1,255,279, so that it will be seen that the New Zealand trade is nearly as valuable to the two chief Australian colonies as their's is to up. The following table gives some interesting figures regarding the imports and exports between Australia, and New Zealand for the year ending 31st De-| cember 1900:

£ £ £ £ £ £ 3d lb Bacon and hams 4131 419 656 3(1 lb Cheese 50523 10021 C4O 6746 308 205 3d lb Butter 6680 1699 iHi 2617 5287 2s lb Fish frozen 2742 8328 (Barley 9739 J033 •< Beans, peas 5632 004 517 Is fld (.Maize 21762 0704 cental / Oats 03265 90809 24901 10512 { Rye 785 514 (Wheat 9201 51 10>2 2570 I'reu Hides 11260 13310 578S 3527 6<l lb Hops 6238 3305 1469 422 2362 2d !h Pres- meats 2249 083S 1382 7916 - 1397 do milk 566 683 122 3855 2319 Is ewt Onions 2735 —v- Timber, logs 7005 •77™. ,<Jo-sawn 98309 81810 BJII 1450 2617 675 3s I',Oft do dressed 7483 2013 Pounds. Wool 431,502 25889 Tons. Is urvt Potatoes 12114 21 140 We are glad to learn from Mr W. j L. Newman, chairman of t.he New Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, that he has called a meeting cf the Chamber for Friday evening, when the whole position will be discussel. Iu considering the question it must bo rsmembered that the cost of belonging to the Federation would have bfen considerable, and it is difficult to sty which would have been themoitros'ly. One thing is quite certain, that we

now have our fivtJom, which is worth a greit deal, and when it is considered what in enormou3 range of latitude this colony has, especially now it includes the Oook Islands, it says very little for the enterprise of the people if we cannot paddle cur own canoe. If each part of the ealony lays itself out to produce the best it is capable of doing, with a range of latitude extending over nearly three thousand miles, and such a splendid seaboard, we should be one cf the most self contained countries iu the whole world.

New Zealand Imports, year ended 31st December. MOOS' a ir a O " := V '* a 2 .3 K .2 S ® £ " -S "5 s «„ o< 0 0 0 i 5 S £ ®O""!S2® < Z > ai & 0 & £ £ £ £ £ £ Id lb Applea, pears * plums, etc. 4046 2856 070 lialf-dlbApples,pears 400 716 cm? half-dlb Lemons 3537 2444 ,7. Free Fruit (otker kinilii) 19323 6445 lb Jam nnng 2s 100ft Timber sawn 15548 2427 liwsi Free do hewn 14127 ' Free do lo-s 36143 fis gal. Wine £17854 Tons. Free Bonedust 516!) Free Salt 5 5 jj half-d lb Sugar refilled 1056 826 1T1M half-dlb Sugar, (raw) 700 32,000 tons from Fiji New Zealand Exports, year ended 31st December, 1900 73 'S (U h ® .3 TJ "SS "3 „■ 2 £ S -S S-g 5 £ -g § g g § .2 S 3 -s S a g -E » e g g S *<! !> to |£ a h