TARIFF REFORM.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 March 1921, Page 6

TARIFF REFORM.

• THE NEED FOR REVISION, AUCKLAND CHAMBER’S VIEWS, The question of tariff reform was referred to by the retiring president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, Mr. A. S. Bankart, in his address at the annual meeting pf the chamber last week. Mr. Bankart said, that at the Chambers of Commerce Conference, held in Wellington in November, it was urged that the Government be asked to enter into negotiations with the Commonwealth Government with the object of arranging a reciprocal tariff between New Zealand and Australia. “The Customs basis of our trade with the sister Dominion,” said Mr. Bankart, is not satisfactory. The turnover between the two countries last year was nearly £7,000,000, and it will be a great mistake should New Zealand not be adequately represented upon any commissions sitting to consider changes in the Australian tariffs. The absence ot a reciprocal scale as between the two countries has already resulted in a large monetary loss to New Zealand. The long delay in the revision of the New Zealand tariff,, was also touched upon by Mr. Bankart. -Hopes are still entertained,” he said, “that this important work will be undertaken at one of the 1921 sessions of Parliament. It is understood that the principle of Imperial preference will be an important feature of the new tariff. The last general revision of our tariff took place over 13 years ago.; so that tne Customs Department faces a heavy task in r j n &' ing into line our very much out-of-date tariff. There are countless anomalies and deficiencies to repair in our customs scales as at present set forth, but as full evidence is to be taken from chambers of commerce and other commercial bodies and individuals throughout the Dominion, it is to be hoped the near future will see New Zealand equaled :with a dear and equitable