The Daily News. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1921. THE NEW TARIFF.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 November 1921, Page 4

The Daily News. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1921. THE NEW TARIFF.

Whether the time and labor expended over revising the tariff has resulted in a commensurate rectification of duties that will earn the approval of the public has yet to he seen. 'The most that can be expected from a pure departmental revision is that certain anomalies should be adjusted and an effort made to distinguish luxuries from absolute necessaries, in addition to giving a further measure of preference to British goods by increasing the duty on those of foreign origin, also making provision for dealing with goods made in countries having a depreciated exchange, besides ar•raiiging an intermediary tariff so as to place the Dominion in a position to bargain with other countries on a basis of commercial , reciprocity. That the revision was to increase the Dominion’s revenue was naturally an important factor in, the operation, so that it is not surprising to find that the excise duties have been substantially increased, while the fostering of trade between the Dominions has been kept in mind, as well as the matter of preference. The tariff list, containing now 566 headings, instead of 483 previously, is manifestly too lengthy to be commented on seriatum, nor would such a course be of much'service to the public. Preferential duties have been imposed or increased on a number of articles, some of which might well have remained as they were, but the general idea has evidently been to conserve, as far as possible, trade within the Empire. The main increases of duty that will affect a large number of the people are those on tobacco and spirits. It was quite expected that the duty on spirits would be largely increased, though not to the extent of doubling it, yet it is a legitimate commodity for carrying a specially heavy impost. Beer has been treated with the same heavy hand, the new duty being based on the specific gravity of the worts (malt extract). Where this gravity does not exceed 1047 the duty is to be eleven pence halfpenny per gallon (double the old duty), and one sixteenth of a penny is added for every unit beyond. There is a spice of grim humor over stopping short of a shilling to the extent of a halfpenny, as if the Minister refused to jeopardise his immortal soul for the sake of a twenty-fourth part of a shilling. Beer drinkers should appreciate such amazing fidelity to detail. What with the rise in price that has already taken place, the doubling of the duty and the increased tariff on malt, from five shillings to seven shillings per cental, and the doubling of the impost on spirits (making it now thirty-six shillings a gallon), drinking will become, quite a luxury. The marvel is that the duty on English beer has not been increased. IWhy? Tobacco, the old duty on which was one shilling, has" also been heavily weighted with increased duties, particularly as regards that used for cigarettes, on which the duty has been raised from 3/6 to 10/- per lb, while an extra eighteen pence has been put on cut tobacco, which now pays five shillings a pound for duty, the plug kind being raised from 3/6 to 4/6 per lb. Thus, what is often called the “poor man’s friend” has participated in that compulsory self-sacrif ?e principle which is an indirect means of making the workers contribute a share of the expense of administration, while those who can afford to smoke cigars or take snuff can enjoy their luxuries without paying any extra duty, as well as the smokers of hand-made cigarettes. Motorists, as was expected, are now called upon to bear higher duties—fifteen per cent, on rubber tyres, three halfpennies per gallon for benzine, and five per cent, oh vehicles. It is difficult to understand why electrical machinery and insulation material should be on the free list, while electric appliances should bear a duty of twenty to thirty-five shillings per cent.. ; also why glass should come in free, while kerosene has to pay three halfpence and linseed oil sixpence a gallon; and basketware an extra ten per cent. Evidently the principle of protection has not been lost sight of, and it would seem, that the revision has been more or less of a haphazard kind, in some eases like straining at a) gnat and swallowing a camel. It is quite possible that when the schedule is closely examined it may give indications of better work than is at first apparent. Manifestly the new duties will be the subject of considerable criticism, but' whether they will succeed ' iu nuikiue" that satisfactory ’addi- (

tion to the revenue which is so much needed is quite another matter. There are many items on which want of space prevents comments at the present moment, and it may be that when the new tariff is discussed in the House the schedule will be improved. On one point, the strengthening of British preference, the move is decidedly on the right, lines, and the same may be said of the special duty, varying from two and a half to twenty-five per cent., on goods from countries having depreciated exchange. It would be impossible to frame a tariff to suit everyone, but in the main, although the majority of the alterations are too unimportant to deserve notice, the framers of the new tariff are entitled to credit for much of their work.