THE TARIFF.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 30 July 1907, Page 2

THE TARIFF.

V.UIUIS ItKI'KJiSKSTATiOXS. Per Press Association. Wellington, July 20. A ii-.-jmta.tiou 'to tliu .Minister for Lii.-iloii!.-;, representing importers of lypewnu-rs, protested against a proposal lu pul a preferential duty of 10 per cwit. on all typewriters manufac-

nired outside the British Umpire, it was averted that, no standard machines were made in England, and tliat Hie preferential tarill' would simply mean an increased cost to the public who used typewriters. The Minister replied that he did not see why the (iovermnent should assist to feed tile American market, and it i-eenieil to him that, if British capital was invested in soine of these concerns, the capitalists should mke steps to have the machine made ill Kngland. liesides he knew from invoices lie had seen that various American manufacturers made up for preferential tariff hamlicaps by giving wholesale purchasers "u preferential bonification'' to counteract the advantage given to British traders. However, lie would lay the deputation's request before Cabinet. A deputation of bicycle manufacturers waited on the Minister of Customs today. The deputation's complaint was that, while imported bicycles under the original tarill' were subject to s duty of 20 per cent., fittings required for local manufacture, were similarly treated They asked that all material for local manufacture should be admitted duty free. They also wanted such duty as would shut out low grade and cheaply i:ianu f actired machines. :>lr .Millar said the duty on liey.U-s

and bicycle pits had been framed after a, c: rcful survey of the information put beiVre the Kovornnient seven months ago. lie had intimated that a revision of (he tariir would take place. If was too late to ioinn along now, and a»k for increased duty on the imported article. The House could reduce the duly on any item, but it had ir; power to increase '1 he only way '..0 do this would lie to withdraw '.lie whole of the rescdiTious, .in'l s'.bniil: fresh ones, lie would look into lli» ;ha'.-\ i.-..; would frankly tell the dcpivtatbi thai lie did not see* that their requirements couicl be met at this stage. It might be possible to d> something in the way of imposing a specific duty on cheap articles from outside. _. A member of the deputation: Well if the resolutions are put through, a great injustice will be done to the cycle trade during the next three years. Mr Millar: Three years! I promise you I don't intend to touch another, tariff while I am in the House. At a meeting of delegates of the various automobile associations held to-day the tarill' proposals were discussed. It I was decided to recommend: ''That the

preferential duly be 12'/ s per cent, instead of 21) per cent.; that in regard to tyres British makes be. given a preference of 12'/o per cent.; and that there be a duly of lii'/i> per cent, on a'.l car bodies." A deputation was appointed to bring the resolutions under the. notice ol the Minister for Customs. The meeting also decided lo form a New Zealand Automobile Association, the headquar- . !., ie 1..- in Wliinglou. Hciieral men ings, however, will be held in any of the other centres.

In reply to a deputation of tradesmen which asked that the duty should be retained on motor cars the Minister for Customs said it had been already intimated by the Premier that, while the Chasse car would be admitted duty free, the ordinary car would pay duty as before. The whole matter was lo be discussed by the Cabinet at an early date.

Later in the day a deputation, headed by the Hon. T. W. Hislop, Mayor of Wellington, intimated that a New Zealand Automobile Association hud been formed that day, and that it approved of the policy of fostering native industries, and was prepared to support the imposition of a duty on the bodies of cars to the extent of'l2'/» per cent. Willi they were most anxious about was the tyres, of which the bulk came from Kuropt. ' ' '?'■

The view as to the bodies' of cars was combalted by Scott, an importer, who ennfended that, bodies for motor ears would still hive lo be imported and that the Lnglish makers would not a'lew full rebates for bodies when supplying only Chasses and engines. 'i he Minister's reply indicated that th" cn'nchbnihlpTs' request for a duty w'i u!d be acceded to, and that he considered Ihe point as to tyres not worth troubling over, seeing that special concessions were made to Colonial customers by Continental makers. He con-

Unloved the 12K, per cent, duty on tlie .bodies iu-ui!icient. Tt should be 20 per cent, to make it uniform with the duties charged on other vehicle bodies. Masterton, July 29. At a meeting of the Chamber of Com"urce to-day the following resolution was canned:—''That the Chamber enter a most emphatic protest against increased duty on east-iron pipes of p. cv-ater diameter than five inches/as this will mean a, heavy tax to local bodies."