THE TARIFF

Taranaki Daily News, 24 November 1921, Page 5

THE TARIFF

SOME CHANGES MADE. ~ REVISED LIST OF DUTIES. MANY ARTICLES AFFECTED HOUSE PASSES RESOLUTIONS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Following is the official summary of the principal alterations effected by the new tariff resolutions:— Power is provided to enable the Minister to exempt any country with a depreciated currency from the operation of the special duties imposed on November 11. Importations from the Commonwealth of Australia are to fall under the general tariff from December 2. The principal alterations in the duties are as follows: — Confectionery—N.E.l., 2d per lb British; 3d per lb foreign. Dried apples, apricots and peaches duty on foreign increased from 2d to 4d per lb. Fresh apples and pears to be Id per lb British; l£d per lb foreign, all the year round. Macaroni and vermicelli—To be 20 per cent. British; 35 per cent, foreign. Walnuts —To be 2d per lb all countries. Cut pipe tobacco —To be 4s lOd per lb. Plug tobacco—4s 8d per lb. Cream of tartar—Foreign 20 per cent. Wool yarns declared for use in making tweeds —20 per cent British; 35 per cent, foreign. Fur felt hat hoods to be free. Goat skins, kid skins, Persians, hogskins and bookbinders’ leather to be 10 per cent, foreign. Leather n.e.i. and leather belting 15 per cent., or 3d per lb British; 25 per cent, or 5d per lb foreign. Roofing tiles, asbestos sheets and slates—lo per cent. British; 20 per cent, foreign. The paper duty on foreign is raised from 10 per cent to 20 per cent. Writing ink—2o per cent., or 2s per gallon British; 35 per cent, or 3s 6d per gallon foreign. Incubators—2o per cent. British; 35 per cent, foreign. Dredging machinery—lo per cent. British; 15 per cent, foreign. Rock-*breaking machines—2o per cent. British; 35 per cent, foreign. Vacuum pans—2o per cent. British; 35 per cent, foreign. Bill hooks and slashers —20 per cent. British; 35 per cent, foreign. Engineers’ brushes—2s per cent British; 40 per cent foreign. Gas cookers and heaters—2s per cent. British; 40 per cent, foreign. Carriage shafts, spokes, etc., dressed—--20 per cent. British; 35 per cent, foreign. Coal tar oils—l|d per gallon, Kerosene to be free. White lead in oil—lo per cent. British; 20 per cent, foreign. All other paints ground in oil or made varnishes and stains—ls per cent. British; 25 per cent, foreign. The excise duties are varied as follows: —

Duties on tobacco manufactured in New Zealand for home consumption: (1) On tobacco cut 2/4 the pound; (2) on other tobacco 2/2 the pound; (3) on tobacco cut or uncut, containing not less than 75 per cent, by weight of deaf grown in New Zealand, and entered for home consumption not later than the 31st day of December, 1922, the* duty shall be 1/- the pound. On cigarettes, ,if manufactured by machinery, the duty shall be 5/6 the pound. The second schedule to the resolutions of November 3, 1921, is amended in so far as it relates to medicinal prepara.tions containing more than 50 per cent, of proof spirit, and that there shall be levied on alcohol used in the production of such medicinal preparations entered for home consumption after the 23rd day of November a duty at the rate of 4/6 the proof gallon of alcohol. DEBATE IN THE HOUSE. STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER. RELATIONS WITH AUSTRALIA. Wellington, Last Night. In the House to-night Mr. Massey moved that the House go into committee of ways and means for the purpose of considering certain amendments to the Customs tariff. Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition) rose to further deal with the suggestion he previously made with regard to the establishment of a tariff board,s and in support of this proposal he quoted the Federal Bill recently introduced in’ the Commonwealth Parliament by Mr. Massy-Greene. He contended that our method of revising the tariff was so cumbersome that any suggestion which would make revision more easy was worthy of consideration. The board consisted of three members and its function was not to increase or reduce taxation, but to make inquiry and report on all matters connected with Customs duties. The Government had set up a temporary tariff commission to consider the present tariff, and what he was suggesting was that a permanent commission be set up to keep a careful watch on the effect of the tariff upon the revenue and the industries of the country. This would be an advisory body, but with no power to impose any policy upon the country, and he 1 commanded it to the Government.

Discussing the tariff itself, he said he noticed witn surprise that tne duty had been taken off yarn used in woollen mills and on cash registers. He was proceeding to elaborate the reasons why the duty should not be taken off woollen and worsted yarns when the Premier interposed and said that the matter had been adjusted to the satisfaction of all concerned. At this Mr. Wilford expressed satisfaction, and said he would discuss the cash register question when the item came before the House. THE TARIFF BILL.

Mr. Massey then proceeded to explain that the resolutions now being brought down were adjustments of previous resolutions, resulting from representations made to the Government by merchants, manufacturers, .and others concerned. on it might be necessary to bring down a further set of amending resolutions, but if so he was confident they would be very brief. These resolution’s, when agreed to by the House, would be embodied in a Bill ■which, when passed, would become the Customs tariff of the Dominion, When

that Bill was before the House every item could be discussed, and amendments could be moved by way of reductions in taxation, but not increases. He had no desire to restrict discussion now, but that was the proper time to debate the tariff. These resolutions must, however, be passed at this sitting of the House, because they must take effect before the Customs offices opened.

Mr. Massey said something had been said with regard to Australia under the tariff as first brought down. Then Australia was placed on the preferential tariff and now it was placed on the general tariff. He was sorry this was necessary, but Australia had not shown much consideration in the past and we must get into the position to be able to negotiate with her. He noticed quite recently that Mr. Massy-Greene had stated he was willing to enter into an amicable arrangement with New Zealand, and he was hopeful something of that kind might be brought about. He thought a mistake had been made i in connection with the South African treaty, and we might, have to revise some features of it. Australia at least had more to gain by a reciprocal arrangement than we had, and as the Australian Ministers always expressed their willingness to meet us’he thought there would not be much difficulty in accomplishing such an arrangement. So far as the tax on tea was ed the Government had not put'any tax on, but they had not taken it off. Mr. Wilford: Why not take it off and put it on cash registers. Mr. Massey: I want money, and there is not much money in cash registers. (Laughter.) Continuing, Mr. Massey said business men all over the Dominion had asked to have the duty taken off cash' registers, because’ they wished to import them, and as they were not made in the Dominion the Government thought it would be a judicious concession to business men to take the duty off. He would like to take the dutyoff tea, but he did not thins that was possible. Mr. L. M. Isitt (Christchurch North): Put it on the totalisator. THE PETROL DUTY ‘ Mr. Massey said he thought it would not be wise to go_too far in that direction. Speaking of the duty on petrol, he said the Government had no strong feeling about it, but they wanted money to maintain the main roads, many of which were in an exceedingly bad state. They hoped to get a good deal of this money from the tyre tax, but if the duty on petrol was agreed to by ths House this money would be devoted tc the upkeep of main roads. If the Houss did not agree to it, then no one could be blamed. *The duty on milk and sugar had been adjusted. As infants • food this combination would come in free and the other duty had been agreed to by the manufacturers of condensed milk and glaxo. He was confident the industries of ?the Dominion, would not suffer by the tariff. Industries had a good friend in the Hon. E. P. Lee (Minister of Industries and Commerce), who • watched over the 1 interests of industries most carefully. Mr. Massey was not sure that a tariff board as suggested by Mr. Wilford would suit our conditions. The commission appointed by the Government' had given satisfaction and that system had acted very well. In any case the final decision as to taxation must rest with the Minister. The tariff, he thought, gave more Imperial preference than any previous tariff, and in that respect it was a considerable advance. He did not know for certain when the Customs Bill would come d'own, but he hoped it would not be later than next week. In reply to Mr. Wilford, tha Premier intimated that the duty on kerosene had been removed. Sir John Luke (Wellington North) said he very much appreciated the statement the Premier had made with regard to Australia. Had the position remained unchanged Australia would rapidly have become a workshop for this Dominion. He thought the South African reciprocal arrangement benefited us very little. He strongly supported Mr. Wil* ford’s suggestion for a permanent tariff board. VARIOUS VIEWS. Mr. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South) said the Premier had a very different story to tell to-night. When he first introduced the tariff everything in the garden was lovely; then he was receiving no deputations of protest; only telegrams of congratulation. To-night he was introducing a series of resolutions which were concessions as the result of protest. He wanted to know who was in charge of the tariff, and he twitted the Government with inability to make up its mind whether the. Premier or the Minister of Customs was to pilot the tariff through the House. Mr. H. E. Holland (Leader of the Labor Party) said in considering the tariff the Labor Party would not support duties on articles that could not be produced within New Zealand. Imperia] preference was all very well, but Labor would not support duties which would only have the effect of increasing the profits of such profiteering concerns gs the Colonial Sugar Co. and Coates* and Co., who had exploited the people during the war. The Hon. J. A. Hanan (Invercargill) said in view of what he previously said in favor of retrenchment he could not support the suggestion that a tariff board be set up. He favored moderate protection and strong anti-dnmping

Mr. E. Dixon (Patea), while deprecating trading with Germany, said if British workmen were so unreasonable in their de mands for wages and conditions, increasing the price of British goods to such an extent that we could not buy them, we must trade with Germany, so that people could get the goods they want. Mr. W. T. Jennings (Waitomo) denied that British workmen were unreasonable in their demands for wages, nor had they been altogether extravagant in their spending, as was evinced by the value of thewar bonds purchased by them. Never would he consent to trade with Germany until she made full reparation for our sons/who perished in the great war. Mr. Clutha Mackenzie (Auckland East), making his maiden speech, said he was opposed to the suggestion thgt a permanent tariff board should be appointed. Such a board would be simply in the tariff struggle what a rope was ip' a tug of war — it would become the centre of a contest between conflicting interests, and it would be better to have the existing anomalies than to have the uncertainty which would exist under a tariff board regime. With regard to the taxation on flags, he had a suggestion to make which he thought might ease the situation. There were three flags he never liked—they were black, yel-* low and red flags; and he suggested that flags of more than one color should come in free and flags of one color should be taxed. (Applause.) At 11.20 p.m. the debate concluded,, and the House went into committee of ways and means, and the amending resolutions were passed