REVISION OF TARIFF.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 January 1921, Page 8

REVISION OF TARIFF.

GOVERNMENT’S PROPOSALS. PREFERENCE WITHIN EMPIRE. The revision of the tariff was the subject of ' some remarks by the Prime Minister in an interview at Auckland. Mr. Massey said that this would be gone on with during 1921. Asked to state what form the revision of the tariff would take, Mr. Massey said: “So far as I am able to judge, it will be on the lines of a preference tariff—that is, preference to countries ! within the Empire. What we purpose ! doing before drawing up our scheme is i that the officers of the Customs DepartI ment will take the opinions T bf any ini dividuals or body of .men who choose i to express them on this question. These , opinions will be considered by the Gov- ! ernment when framing the tariff.” I Mr. Massey was reminded that the Associated Chambers of Commerce and the Manufacturers’ Association through- ’ out the Dominion had expressed a wish i that the Government would set up a | commission to take evidence on this question. To this he replied: “People

who suggest that we can set up a commission to make recommendations witM regard to th® tariff cannot think of what they .are asking. When the opinions collected by the Customs Department have been considered the Government will frame its tariff proposals, and these will be submitted to ment for its consideration. It will then be for the members to agree to the proposals or otherwise.”