NEW ZEALAND'S TARIFF.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7935, 8 January 1906, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND'S TARIFF.

AN AMERICAN COMMENT. The Commercial News, of San Francisco, says:— New Zealand, prompted by excessive loyalty to the idea of Imperial federation has recently adopted au act by which, upon importations from all countries beside Great Britain and its depeudeuciea, an extra duty of 25 per cent, is to be levied. The United J States are, of course, included in the countries discriminated against, and thus a trade which was at one time very promising will, under tho new law, be ereatly restricted in volume. While merchants have had no right to complain if their trade in any direction is harassed by discriminating tariffs, tho action of New Zealand is important as marking the beginning of a movemeuc likely to attain great proportions iu the future by which all productions of this country will be excluded from civilised markets or greatly curtailed in amount. Germany and other European nations by reason of their enormous indebtedness,' find their capacity for taxation has reached the limit. Other devices for increasing the revenue rrust be adopted, and resort is had to increased tariffs, by which the hatred of European peoples against tho United States is, to some extent, satisfied, while native production is stimulated. The movement lor Imperial fedoraitou in Great Britain is bound to grow, and the United States will be the prinoipal sufferer. Happily a few moro decades of such growth as the United States have enjoyed for the past 20 years and the most of our agricultural productions will be needed at home. The surplus now available will gradually decrease. Little by little our dependanco on i foreign markets is lessening. New Zealand, by the adoption of tariff discrimination against this country, has discovered her mistake. j The colony has announced a great exposition for the coming year, and confidently expected a large display of American machinery and a corresponding stimulation of American trade, but the increased tariff which is to be levied on all importations from this country in favour of British producers, has been fatal to any hopes of support from the United States. A recent letter from the manager uf the Ureat New Zealand Exposition confesses that no effort to induce American exhibits will be attempted. A private telegram received in the colony states that the New Zealand football team scored,two tries in the match with Wales, but both were disallowed. This probably accounts for the objection to a Welsh referee officiating in the Glamorgan match. A resident of VVanganui states that notwithstanding the efforts to keep the disease down in the district by spraying, the potato destroyer has spread to lettuce, cabbages, beans, etc. —even dahlias and other flowers being smitten with it. j A cheque for threepence, being a dividend from a banKrupt estate, was received from New Plymouth by a local firm recently, says the Hawera Star. When sixpence bank exchange is paid, and a penny for postage to return the receipt, the reoipients of the money will be fourpence out of pocket by the transaction. The fact must not be forgotten, too, that it cost a penny to send this remarkable payment to Hawera, and' there was another penny duty stamp on the cheque as well.